There are certain Patek Philippe wristwatches that can be considered the ultimate in terms of rarity, desirability, and aesthetic beauty. The stainless steel chronograph reference 530 - the oversized version of the hallowed ref. 130 - is without any doubt one of these. With less than 10 steel examples having ever appeared at auction or in literature, it is no wonder they have achieved an almost mythical reputation in the hearts and minds of watch collectors. Of these very small number of known examples in steel, approximately 9 have a two tone dial, with the present example being the only known example with both a two-tone dial and luminous hands.
The present example boasts a number of traits which classify it as one of the most collectible of the known steel 530s. Not only does the dial present an alluring two-tone finish, with the brushed outer track boldly contrasting the center of the dial, it is also preserved in absolutely unrestored condition with beautiful patina throughout. The raised enamel is as it should be, making the present timepiece a rarity as it is one of the very few known reference 530s with a dial that has not seen intervention throughout its lifetime. As an even more interesting detail, it has luminous hands, making it the only known example with these features. Given the style of the current hands, one can deduce that the present timepiece was upgraded at some point, most probably during the 1950s or 1960s, perhaps at request of the owner for a more legible watch. Close inspection of the dial also reveals micro smudges where one can deduce remnants of luminous dots that now have been removed, decades after luminous dots were placed, coherent with the hands.
The present watch was offered in the historic auction at Christie's Geneva 2010, notably the Important Watches Including a Connoisseur's Vision Part II, where it was offered fresh to the market and sold for 603,000 CHF. It is our understanding that the consignor in 2010 had acquired the present timepiece "as is" in the 1990s. Since the auction in 2010, it has resided in the same collection ever since and is now offered again in the public arena.
Reference 530 was first launched in 1937, and remains one of the rarest chronograph models manufactured by the firm. In terms of its case size, reference 530 is substantially bigger than its sister reference 130, measuring nearly 4 mm larger. The proportions in terms of its diameter, thickness, and placement of its lugs are symmetrical and perfectly balanced, demonstrating the mastery of design that has earned Patek Philippe its position at the top echelon of watchmaking companies.
Interestingly, the stainless steel chronograph reference 530 is known to have been made in case variants that differ most notably in terms of the distance between the lugs. The first generation, predominantly made in the late 1930s and always seen with the sector dial design, features a 19mm gap between lugs, whereas the second version, exemplified by the present piece and made by Georges Croisier, boasted a substantial gap of 21.5mm giving the watch an even more prominent look. Patek Philippe produced yellow and rose gold versions of reference 530 for over two decades, but a very small number were manufactured in stainless steel during the 1940s – a period of wartime that made low-cost steel models more accessible. With so few existent in the world, and considering the present example’s combination of virtues that tick virtually every box for the discerning collector, it most certainly is a watch worthy of crowning the world’s most important collections.
