Patek Philippe - The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII Hong Kong Friday, November 24, 2023 | Phillips

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  • Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
    Year: 1905
    Movement No: 137‘519
    Case No: 246‘950
    Material: 18K yellow gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 16’’’
    Dimensions: 45mm diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, and movement signed
    Accessories: Delivered with Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1905 and its subsequent sale on July 29th, 1907

  • Catalogue Essay

    The city of San Francisco presented the watch to Dr. Rupert Blue in circa 1908 in recognition of his respectable efforts and achievements on the scientific and medical front line in eradicating the epidemic of bubonic plague, often viewed as the first plague epidemic in continental United States.

    More than a century ago, Dr. Blue already had the foresight to order work, school and all social activities to shut down as a measure against the epidemics, in many ways reminiscent of our Covid-19 days. Dr. Blue was also known for his outstanding contribution as acting Surgeon General of the United States in stopping the Spanish Flu in 1918, and for his impacts on reforming the Public Health Service. Engraved on the cuvette of the present pocket watch are the tender inscriptions, "To Rupert Blue P.A. Surgeon, U.S.P.H. and M.H.S. from the citizens of San Francisco. In grateful recognition of services rendered the city while in command of the Sanitation Campaign of 1908".

    The present pocket watch is encased in a beautiful bassine style open-face yellow gold case, and comes with an enamel dial, delicately embellished by the exquisite Louis XV hands, Breguet numerals, red minute figures surrounding the chapter ring, and two subsidiary dials with red numerals. The dial is signed with "Shreve & Co.”, an established retailer and one of the oldest commercial establishments founded in 1894 in San Francisco and the successor to The Shreve Jewelry Company. Housing an outstanding manual movement combining a minute repeater and split seconds chronograph, the calibre 16’’’ features a lever escapement with counterpoised pallet fork, bi-metallic compensated balance.

    Preserved in excellent condition despite its age and accompanied with the Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1905, this extraordinary timepiece is so much more than a mere timekeeping device, but rather a spectacular historic relic celebrating our resilience and grit in surviving through endless chapters of human sickness and suffering.

  • 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.

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885

A fine, rare and historically important yellow gold minute repeating split-seconds chronograph open-face pocket watch with Breguet numerals, enamel dial, and Extract from the Archives, presented to former Surgeon General of the United States Rupert Blue by the Citizens of San Francisco, retailed by Shreve & Co.

1905
45mm diameter
Case, dial, and movement signed

Estimate
HK$100,000 - 200,000 
€12,100-24,200
$12,800-25,600

Sold for HK$381,000

Contact Specialist

Thomas Perazzi
Deputy Chairman, Watches, Head of Watches, Asia
+852 2318 2001
WatchesHK@phillips.com

The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII

Hong Kong Auction 24-25 November 2023