The present reference 1415 is one of the historically most significant examples of this model. In fact, it appears to be the second ever made example of this reference, completed in 1939, the year the reference was launched.

This reference 1415 differs through a vast number of elements from the later version: the movement is a 12”’ pocket watch movement with camwheel regulation, wolf tooth winding and gold wheel train. The bezel, with red enamel hour markers, features only 30 cities whereas later generations have either 39 or 41. The silvered dial has roman and baton numerals all in black enamel versus gold applied markers.

When examining this watch up close it becomes evident that in 1939 Patek Philippe’s world time wristwatch production was still in its infancy and it is fair to say that these watches served as forerunners and prototypes for the later production. In the late 1930s world time wristwatches must have been the ultimate novelty and it should not come as a surprise that a star like Robert Stack has been one of the fortunate first owners of such a watch.

Robert Stack (born Charles Langford Modini Stack, January 13, 1919 – May 14, 2003) was a multilingual American actor and television host. In addition to acting in more than 40 feature films, he starred in the 1959–63 television series The Untouchables, for which he won the 1960 Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Dramatic Series, and later hosted Unsolved Mysteries from 1987 until 2002. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the film Written on the Wind in 1956.