917
Patek Philippe
Ref. 2526
百達翡麗，型號2526，精細罕有，黃金自動小三針腕錶，備第一代琺瑯錶盤、「Gay Frères」鏈帶，1955年製。附後補證書
完整圖錄內容
The daunting creation process (it is said that for first series dials, 9 out of 10 pieces had to be discarded during production) commanded a simplification of the dial construction: early watches such as the present one - first series - feature dial with flared holes for each numeral. Second series enamel dials present instead no such detail, the indexes being glued to the surface of the enamel. Third series dials are simply made of metal, the enamel construction completely abandoned. Obviously, the intrinsic rarity and beauty of enamel dials - especially first series - render these timepieces highly collectible.
2526 is also well-known for having been fitted with bracelets from master maker Gay Frères, considered the best bracelet maker of the past century. Such is the case of the present watch: not only the Extract confirms the presence of the bracelet, but the stamping to the clasp “2 56” indicates it was made in the second trimester of 1956, perfectly matching the June 15, 1956 sale date of the wristwatch.
Mechanically, ref. 2526 is as impressive as it is aesthetically, mounting the first automatic movement created by Patek Philippe (cal. 12-600 AT), which was the result of decades of R&D and it is considered to this day one of the most technically advanced and most superbly finished automatic movements ever made by any brand.
Made between 1953 and 1960, the reference 2526 remains one of Patek Philippe’s greatest achievements, obtaining the perfect balance between design (the case), craftsmanship (the dial) and mechanics (the movement).
The present first series example with bracelet is without a doubt an unmissable “must-own” for the collector of superb Patek Philippe timepieces.
Patek Philippe
Swiss | 1839Since 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.