Manufacturer: Patek Philippe Year: 1972 Reference No: 3541 Movement No: 1232318 Case No: 321074 Material: 18K white gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 27-460 M PM, 37 jewels, stamped with the Geneva Seal Bracelet/Strap: Patek Philippe crocodile strap Clasp/Buckle: 18K white gold Patek Philippe pin buckle Dimensions: 36mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, strap and buckle signed Accessories: Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1972 and its subsequent sale on December 19, 1974
Catalogue Essay
Combining a water-resistant case, an automatic movement and a date indication, ref. 3541 represents one of the first timid experimentations of Patek Philippe with kind of timepiece targeted toward a more active, young and dynamic audience. It represents - together with similarly restrained models of the time such as time-only ref. 565 or chronograph ref. 1463 - the dawn of the Patek Philippe sport watch, marking a fundamental step in the evolution of the brand.
Beyond its intellectual intrigue, this watch offers remarkable aesthetic and technical appeal. Quite an obscure reference, so far less than 40 examples of the model have appeared on the market, and of these only 11 are in white gold, making this previously unrecorded example the 12th. Its rarity matches it condition, sporting a most likely unpolished case with sharp edges to the lugs, flawless hallmarks and intact satin finish to the band. The dial as well is preserved in superb condition.
The more technically inclined collectors will notice that the watch is powered by arguably the best automatic calibre of all times - or at the very least a contender to the title. Cal. 27-460 is the final evolution of cal. 12-600, the first automatic PP movement. In the 1940s and 50s, while waiting decades for the Rolex patent on the automatic rotor to expire, Patek Philippe spent literally years to develop the 12-600, itself considered an absolute masterpiece. That movement was incrementally improved upon - stepping on real-life feedback - throughout the 1960s and when Patek deemed to have reached perfection they renamed the calibre with, indeed, the code 27-460: five numbers which mean not much outside watch collecting but which imply absolute perfection in our world. In fact, there are a number of variations of the movement. The one installed on this timepiece is cal. 27-460 M PM - where “M” indicates the presence of the date at 3 o’clock, while “PM” indicates the presence of a special adjustable attachment for the hairspring. A final note of intrigued is given by the movement number of this watch starting with "123", as all the other examples known seem to bear movement numbers starting with "112".
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.
