128
Patek Philippe
Ref. 530
Calatrava
A breathtakingly gorgeous stainless steel wristwatch with multi-tone silvered dial and applied steel Breguet numerals
Full-Cataloguing
- Multi-tone silver dial with Breguet numerals and steel case
- One of 4 known in this configuration
- In very well preserved condition
Reference 530 is perhaps best known in connection with Patek Philippe’s large chronograph wristwatch, yet the designation also applies to one of the firm’s most distinguished and generously proportioned time-only wristwatches of the 1940s. At first glance, reference 530 bears a strong resemblance to the better-known reference 570, yet closer examination reveals two important distinctions. The bezel of reference 530 is distinctly concave, as opposed to the cylindrical bezel of reference 570, while its 36.5 mm diameter makes it marginally larger than its more familiar sibling.
Stainless steel examples of reference 530 rank among the rarest Patek Philippe wristwatches of the period. Those fitted with Breguet numerals are rarer still, with only four examples presently known and identified. The present watch is therefore distinguished not only by its exceptional case material and proportions, but also by the extraordinary rarity of its dial configuration.
Particularly noteworthy is its multi-tone silvered dial, which has remained unrestored for more than eight decades. The subtle variation in texture and tone across its three distinct sections creates a remarkable sense of depth, while the combination of beautifully proportioned Breguet numerals and large seconds subdial give the dial an elegance characteristic of Patek Philippe’s finest watches of the period.
Manufactured in 1941, the present reference 530 has last appeared at auction at Phillips Geneva over a decade ago in Nov 2015 where it sold for a record breaking CHF 677,000.
Its importance has endured, and it has since been discussed in numerous publications, most notably John Goldberger’s definitive study of stainless steel Patek Philippe wristwatches. Its inclusion in this seminal volume is testament to the exceptional rarity and historical significance of the present watch.
More than a decade after its last appearance at auction, the present reference 530 remains an unusually compelling example of Patek Philippe’s stainless steel wristwatches: large, restrained and exceptionally rare, with a dial whose originality and character have been preserved.
Patek Philippe
Swiss | 1839Since its founding in 1839, this famous Geneva-based firm has been surprising its clientele with superbly crafted timepieces fitted with watchmaking's most prestigious complications. Traditional and conservative designs are found across Patek Philippe's watches made throughout their history — the utmost in understated elegance.
Well-known for the Graves Supercomplication — a highly complicated pocket watch that was the world’s most complicated watch for 50 years — this family-owned brand has earned a reputation of excellence around the world. Patek's complicated vintage watches hold the highest number of world records for results achieved at auction compared with any other brand. For collectors, key models include the reference 1518, the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, and its successor, the reference 2499. Other famous models include perpetual calendars such as the ref. 1526, ref. 3448 and 3450, chronographs such as the reference 130, 530 and 1463, as well as reference 1436 and 1563 split seconds chronographs. Patek is also well-known for their classically styled, time-only "Calatrava" dress watches, and the "Nautilus," an iconic luxury sports watch first introduced in 1976 as the reference 3700 that is still in production today.