23
Patek Philippe
Ref. 3417
“Amagnetic, First Series”
An exceptionally rare, early, and well-preserved stainless steel anti-magnetic wristwatch with raised hard enamel signature
Full-Cataloguing
• Extremely early and rare “first series” with “type 0B” dial with engraved / enameled signature
• Patek Philippe’s first reference produced exclusively in stainless steel
• Beautifully patinated dial has taken on a champagne hue
• Accompanied with original Certificate of Origin
Before the launch of the Nautilus, Patek Philippe only produced very few references that were exclusively cased in stainless steel, such as references 3418 and 3417. Both launched in 1958 with an anti-magnetic caliber 12-400, and were upgraded with caliber 27AM400 as of the early 1960s.
The movement is shielded from magnetism with a soft-iron inner case, designed to resist magnetic fields up to 450 oersted. By necessity, the case is designed for maximum robustness using stainless steel and fitted with a screw down, water-resistant caseback.
The present example is an exceptionally rare, hardly ever seen early example from 1958 fitted with its original “type 0-B” dial, as defined in the “Patek Philippe Amagnetic” book by horological scholar, MStanga. This first generation dial features an engraved ‘Patek Philippe’ signature with raised hard enamel, applied white gold ‘12’ hour markers, and oversized seconds chapter at 6 o’clock.
The watch comes from a private collector, who purchased it at a local auction house where it was consigned by the family of the original owner in the UK. Incredibly, the watch retains its original certificate of origin, an exceptionally rare occurrence after nearly seven decades of existence. Over time, the dial developed a unique patina, a deep champagne tone, while the raised hard enamel remained beautifully glossy and intact. Paired with a later added vintage Gay-Frères expansion bracelet, the effect is absolutely charming.
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.