Manufacturer: Patek Philippe Year: 1945 Reference No: 1526 Movement No: 926'669 Case No: 641'808 Material: 18K yellow gold Calibre: Manual, cal. 12'''120 Q, 18 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Leather Clasp/Buckle: 18K PPCo pin buckle Dimensions: 34mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed Accessories: Accompanied by its original Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin, original invoice dated 19 June, 1947, instruction manual, service invoice from the Henri Stern Watch Agency dated 12 July, 2005 and presentation box. Furthermore accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1954 and its subsequent sale on June 20, 1947.
Catalogue Essay
We are witnessing a current trend for larger and bulkier watches made from the 1950s and on, however the present timepiece is proof that a full bodied 34mm case can have immense wrist presence and nothing to shy away from its larger counterparts.
Reference 1526 is a historically important timepiece as it is not only the very first serially produced perpetual calendar wristwatch, launched in 1941 and in production until 1952, but also a timepiece whose design set the benchmark for what a classic perpetual calendar wristwatch should look like!
This timepiece combines elegance, calatrava-style case and a minimalist and clean dial considered to be ahead of its time.
Furthermore, reference 1526 was the first serially produced perpetual calendar wristwatch, in production for only a few years it is estimated that only 210 examples are known, with a sole exception in stainless steel, the majority of the examples are predominantly in yellow gold and a fraction in pink gold.
The present watch is infused with elegance and grace and will appeal to the collector looking for not only an exceptionally well-preserved and extremely rare timepiece, but also one of the first perpetual calendar wristwatches ever made.
Since 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.