Manufacturer: Patek Philippe Year: 1957 Reference No: 2551 Movement No: 764'214 Case No: 696'687 Material: 18k yellow gold Calibre: Automatic, cal. 12-600 AT Bracelet/Strap: 18k yellow gold Patek Philippe bracelet, max. length 203 mm, endlinks stamped 12 Clasp/Buckle: 18k yellow gold folding clasp, stamped 3.57 Dimensions: 36 mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by an Extract from the Archives confirming date of production of the present watch in 1957, and its subsequent sale on February 5, 1958
Catalogue Essay
Reference 2551 features Patek Philippe's iconic self-winding movement caliber 12-600 AT, the firm's first automatic movement. Blessed with an engine turned 18 karat gold rotor and a Gyromax balance, it is considered by many the finest self-winding movement ever designed by any manufacturer in history.
The present watch is in overall very original and most appealing condition, and features a lovely gold bracelet by Patek Philippe from the third quarter of 1957, the year this reference 2551 was actually 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.