Patek Philippe filed a patent in 1889 for the mechanism of the perpetual calendar. Slowly but surely the Swiss brand creates the market for grand complication pocket watches. In the early days that activity remains confidential and on special order.
The Palmer specimen, made in 1898 and sold in 1900, is a recent discovery. This watch was sold for $ 2,25M including premium by Christie's on June 11, 2013.
The Allen specimen, ordered in 1904 and delivered in 1905, has just surfaced. This watch is estimated $ 400K for sale by Christie's in New York on December 6, lot 42.
Its complications include the perpetual calendar, the split-seconds chronograph, the repetition of the minutes, the phases of the moon. Made to order, it is the only known example of a Patek Philippe pocket watch of grand complication in a hunter case also named style Louis XVI, meaning that it is equipped with a metal cover protecting the dial against dust.
On the circumference of the dial the name of the client, C.B.C. Allen, replaces the numerals of the hours. The watch also offers a portrait of this lady engraved inside the lid and a dedication to her husband Dr. Allen in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Patek Philippe had in his clientele a jeweler from St. Louis, Missouri and was present in 1904 at the world fair's organized in that city. The very unusual identification of the customer within the dial, previously realized on two other hunter case pocket watches delivered to the St. Louis jeweler, appears as an ephemeral local fantasy.
Patek Philippe was decidedly very active in 1904. The first complicated watch for the use of James Ward Packard also dates from that year.
SOLD for $ 400K before fees
The Palmer specimen, made in 1898 and sold in 1900, is a recent discovery. This watch was sold for $ 2,25M including premium by Christie's on June 11, 2013.
The Allen specimen, ordered in 1904 and delivered in 1905, has just surfaced. This watch is estimated $ 400K for sale by Christie's in New York on December 6, lot 42.
Its complications include the perpetual calendar, the split-seconds chronograph, the repetition of the minutes, the phases of the moon. Made to order, it is the only known example of a Patek Philippe pocket watch of grand complication in a hunter case also named style Louis XVI, meaning that it is equipped with a metal cover protecting the dial against dust.
On the circumference of the dial the name of the client, C.B.C. Allen, replaces the numerals of the hours. The watch also offers a portrait of this lady engraved inside the lid and a dedication to her husband Dr. Allen in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Patek Philippe had in his clientele a jeweler from St. Louis, Missouri and was present in 1904 at the world fair's organized in that city. The very unusual identification of the customer within the dial, previously realized on two other hunter case pocket watches delivered to the St. Louis jeweler, appears as an ephemeral local fantasy.
Patek Philippe was decidedly very active in 1904. The first complicated watch for the use of James Ward Packard also dates from that year.
SOLD for $ 400K before fees
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