Patek Philippe - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: NINE Hong Kong Monday, November 25, 2019 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
    Year: 1968
    Reference No: 770/3
    Movement No: 893'284
    Case No: 2'637'686
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal 17'''140, 18 jewels, stamped twice with the Geneva seal
    Dimensions: 47mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial and movement signed
    Accessories: Further accompanied by Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin and Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming the production of the present watch with painted flowers on enamel in 1968 and its subsequent sale on March 2, 1982. Furthermore delivered with Patek Philippe numbered service box and tag, red document holder and product literature.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Enamelling is without a doubt one of the highest forms of watch decoration. Given the inherent artisanal character of this technique, it is a natural consequence that some enamelers have risen as “champions” of their fields given their superior skills. The present watch features in fact a miniature enamel to the back realised by what can be considered without a doubt one the most important and appreciated enamelers of the past century: Mme. Suzanne Rohr.

    Born in 1939, Mme. Rohr’s works are now recognised as indisputable masterpieces. Proficient in all techniques of enamelling, her most exquisite creations consist in cloisonné and miniature - such as the present example - oeuvres. While her career spans several decades - having retired in 2016 - given the painstaking process required for enamelling her overall production amounts to little more than 100 pieces - about 2 per year. This, combined with the attachment collectors demonstrate toward her works, makes it extremely rare for a Rohr-decorated timepiece to resurface today in the market. An idea of the importance of this Master is given by the fact that the hallowed Patek Philippe Museum exhibits 26 timepieces bearing enamelwork signed by her, about a quarter of her entire production. The present enamel is one of the earliest examples of her skill, as she started working in 1959, only 9 years before the production of the present watch. Furthermore, she began supplying enamelwork to Patek Philippe in 1957, 2 years before this watch was completed. In fact, the collaboration between the artist and the brand will become exclusive, lasting for nearly half a century.

    Accurate research pointed out that enamelled REF. 770 are extremely rare creations. Beyond the present, previously unknown example, only three other unique pieces are known: "Fox at Bay", known form a 1960s catalogue; "Fox Hunting" and "Métier à Tisser".

  • Artist Biography

    Patek Philippe

    Swiss • 1839

    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.

    View More Works

835

Ref. 770/3
A probably earliest known, extremely fine, and unique yellow gold openface miniature pocket watch with enamelled “Bouquet of Flowers” signed by Suzanne Rohr, retailed by Gubelin and Certificate of Origin

1968
47mm Diameter
Case, dial and movement signed

Estimate
HK$960,000 - 1,920,000 
€109,000-219,000
$123,000-246,000

Sold for HK$2,875,000

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Head of Watches, Asia
thomasperazzi@phillips.com
+852 2318 2001

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: NINE

Hong Kong Auction 25-26 November 2019