ArtHitParade
ArtHitParade on Twitter
  • Home
    • Contact
  • Calendar
  • Top 10
    • Origin
    • From 600 BCE to CE
    • Years 1 to 1000
    • Years 1000 to 1300
    • 14th Century
    • 15th Century >
      • Years 1400-1429
      • Years 1430-1459
      • Years 1460-1479
      • Years 1480-1499
    • 16th Century >
      • Years 1500-1519
      • Decade 1520-1529
      • Decade 1530-1539
      • Years 1540-1569
      • Years 1570-1599
    • 17th Century >
      • Decade 1600-1609
      • Decade 1610-1619
      • Decade 1620-1629
      • Decade 1630-1639
      • Decade 1640-1649
      • Decade 1650-1659
      • Years 1660-1679
      • Years 1680-1699
    • 18th Century >
      • Decade 1700-1709
      • Decade 1710-1719
      • Decade 1720-1729
      • Decade 1730-1739
      • Decade 1740-1749
      • Decade 1750-1759
      • Decade 1760-1769
      • Decade 1770-1779 >
        • 1776
      • Decade 1780-1789
      • Decade 1790-1799 >
        • 1792
    • 19th Century >
      • Decade 1800-1809
      • Decade 1810-1819
      • Decade 1820-1829
      • Decade 1830-1839
      • Decade 1840-1849
      • Decade 1850-1859
      • Decade 1860-1869
      • Decade 1870-1879
      • Decade 1880-1889 >
        • 1887
        • 1888
        • 1889
      • Decade 1890-1899 >
        • 1890
        • 1892
        • 1896
    • 20th Century >
      • Decade 1900-1909 >
        • 1903
        • 1904
        • 1905
        • 1907
        • 1908
        • 1909
      • Decade 1910-1919 >
        • 1911
        • 1912
        • 1913
        • 1914
        • 1915
        • 1916
        • 1917
        • 1918
        • 1919
      • Decade 1920-1929 >
        • 1920
        • 1921
        • 1923
        • 1924
        • 1925
        • 1926
        • 1927
        • 1928
        • 1929
      • Decade 1930-1939 >
        • 1930
        • 1931
        • 1932
        • 1933
        • 1934
        • 1935
        • 1936
        • 1937
        • 1938
        • 1939
      • Decade 1940-1949 >
        • 1941
        • 1942
        • 1945
        • 1946
        • 1947
        • 1948
        • 1949
      • Decade 1950-1959 >
        • 1950
        • 1951
        • 1952
        • 1953
        • 1954
        • 1955
        • 1956
        • 1957
        • 1958
        • 1959
      • Decade 1960-1969 >
        • 1960
        • 1961
        • 1962
        • 1963
        • 1964
        • 1965
        • 1966
        • 1967
        • 1968
        • 1969
      • Decade 1970-1979 >
        • 1970
        • 1971
        • 1972
        • 1974
        • 1975
        • 1976
        • 1977
        • 1978
        • 1979
      • Decade 1980-1989 >
        • 1980
        • 1981
        • 1982
        • 1983
        • 1984
        • 1985
        • 1986
        • 1987
        • 1988
      • Decade 1990-1999 >
        • 1990
        • 1991
        • 1992
        • 1993
        • 1994
        • 1995
        • 1996
        • 1997
        • 1998
        • 1999
    • 21st Century >
      • Decade 2000-2009 >
        • 2000
        • 2001
        • 2002
        • 2003
        • 2006
        • 2007
        • 2008
      • Decade 2010-2019 >
        • 2017
      • 2020 to now >
        • 2021
  • Current Art
  • Renaissance
  • Painting
    • Ancient Painting >
      • Oil on Copper
    • 18th Century Painting
  • Ancient Drawing
  • Art on Paper
  • Sculpture
    • Bust
    • Ancient Sculpture >
      • Roman Sculpture
    • Italian Sculpture
    • French Sculpture
    • Sculpture by Painters
  • Women Artists
    • Ancient Art by Women
    • Current Art by Women
    • Martin
    • Mitchell
  • Furniture
    • Chairs and Seats
    • Colonial Furniture
    • Ancient French Furniture
    • 18th Century Furniture
    • Modern Furniture >
      • Art Deco
    • Modern Tables
  • Prints
    • Ancient Prints
    • Modern Prints
  • Photo
    • Old Photos >
      • Travel Photos
      • Early French Photo
    • Photos 1900-1940 >
      • Photos in the 1920s
    • Photos 1970s 1980s
    • Sherman
    • Gursky
  • The Man
  • The Woman
  • Children
  • Man and Woman
  • Groups
  • Self Portrait
    • Self Portrait 2nd page
  • Nude
  • Abstract Art
    • Abstract Art - 2nd page
  • Landscape
    • Midi
    • Alps
    • Mountains in China
  • Cities
    • Venice
    • Paris
    • Los Angeles
  • Flowers
    • Bouquet
  • Animals
    • Bird
    • Cats
    • Horse
  • Dragon
  • Tabletop
  • Early Still Life
  • Music and Dance in Art
    • Music in Old Painting
  • Sport in Art
  • Orientalism
    • Orientalism 1830-1900
  • France
    • Louis XV and XVI
    • Revolution and Empire
    • Louis XVIII to 2nd Empire
    • Ancient French Painting
    • Degas
    • Cézanne
    • Monet >
      • Monet before 1878
      • From Vétheuil to Giverny
      • London and Venice
      • Pond by Monet
    • Renoir
    • Gauguin
    • Lautrec
    • Matisse
    • Klein
    • Lalanne
    • Post War French Art
  • Italy
    • Ancient Italy >
      • Italian Painting 1280-1700
    • Canaletto
    • Modigliani
    • Fontana
  • Swiss Painting before 1940
    • Hodler
  • Giacometti
    • Giacometti 1947-53
  • Bacon
    • Bacon before 1963
    • Bacon 1963-70
    • Later Bacons
  • UK - 2nd page
    • Ancient England
    • George I to III
    • George IV to Victoria
    • British Royals
    • Turner >
      • Watercolor by Turner
    • Freud
    • Hockney
    • Doig
    • Hirst
    • Banksy
  • Germany
    • Ancient Germany
    • Richter >
      • Richter before 1983
    • Germany - 2nd page
  • Rembrandt
  • Van Gogh
  • De Kooning
  • Holland 2nd page
  • Old Flanders and Belgium
    • Flemish Art >
      • Rubens
    • Magritte
    • Tintin
    • Belgium 2nd page
  • Picasso
    • Picasso before 1907
    • Picasso 1907-1931
    • 1932 Picasso
    • Picasso later 1930s
    • Picasso 1940-1960
    • Picasso in Mougins
    • Prints by Picasso
  • Spain - 2nd page
    • Ancient Spain
    • Miro
    • Spain 3rd page
  • Klimt
  • Austria 2nd page
  • USA
    • US Independence
    • Development of USA
    • US Civil War
    • Wild West
    • US Painting before 1940
    • Rockwell
    • Calder
    • Rothko >
      • Early Rothko
      • Rothko 1957-70
    • Still
    • Pollock
    • Lichtenstein >
      • Lichtenstein after 1965
    • Warhol >
      • USA by Warhol
      • Celebrities by Warhol
      • Later Warhols
      • Prints by Warhol
    • Twombly
    • Prince
    • Koons
    • Wool
    • Basquiat
    • USA 2nd page
  • Central and South Americas
  • China
    • Archaic China >
      • Ritual Bronzes
    • Northern Song
    • Southern Song and Yuan
    • Early Ming
    • Later Ming
    • Early Qing
    • Qianlong
    • Modern China >
      • Zhang Daqian
      • Sanyu
      • Zao Wou-Ki
    • New Chinese Painting
    • Chinese Porcelain >
      • Song to Yuan Porcelain
      • Ming Porcelain
      • Qing Porcelain
    • Chinese Art
    • Chinese Calligraphy
    • Chinese Furniture
    • Jade
  • India
    • Tibet and Nepal
    • Modern India >
      • Gaitonde
  • Persia
    • Safavid Carpets
  • Yoshitomo Nara
  • Russia
    • Russia 1700-1900
    • Kandinsky
  • Eastern Europe
    • Chagall
  • Northern Europe
    • Prints by Munch
  • Egypt
  • Tropical Africa
    • Congo
    • Gabon
    • Mask
  • Tribal Oceania
    • Easter Island
  • Australia
    • Colonial Australia
  • Islam
  • Buddhism
    • Early Buddhist Sculpture
  • Judaica
  • Christianity
    • Madonna and Child
  • Cars
    • Birth of Automobile
    • Cars of the 1910s
    • Cars of the 1920s
    • Cars of the 1930s >
      • Cars 1930-33
      • Cars 1934-35
      • Cars 1936-37
      • Cars 1938-39
    • Cars 1940-50
    • Cars 1951-1959 >
      • Cars 1951-53
      • Cars 1954-55
      • Cars 1956-57
      • Cars 1958-59
    • Cars of the 1960s >
      • Cars 1960-61
      • Cars 1962-64
      • Cars 1965-67
    • Cars 1970s 1980s
    • Supercars
    • Hypercars
    • Ferrari >
      • Early Ferrari
      • From LWB to GTO >
        • California Spider
      • Ferrari after 1962
    • Alfa Romeo
    • Mercedes-Benz
    • Porsche
    • British Cars >
      • Aston Martin
      • Jaguar
      • McLaren
    • Bugatti
    • French Cars
    • Duesenberg
    • Ford and Shelby
    • Cars - 2nd page
  • Motorcycles
  • Jewels
    • White Diamond
    • Pink Diamond
    • Blue Diamond
    • African Diamonds
    • Jewels - 2nd page
    • Cartier
  • Silverware
    • Old Silverware
  • Coin
    • Gold Coins
    • Silver Coins
    • Antique Coins
    • Coins 1000-1775
    • Coins 1776-92
    • Coins 1793-99
    • Coins 1800-49
    • Coins 1850-69
    • Coins 1870-99
    • 20th century Coins
    • British Coins
    • Dollars and Eagles
    • Japanese Coins
    • Chinese Coins
  • Paper Currency
  • Medal and Decoration
  • Time Pieces
    • Clocks >
      • Old Clocks
    • Mechanical Craft ca 1800 >
      • Jaquet-Droz and Followers
    • Modern Watches
    • New Watches >
      • OnlyWatch
    • Patek Philippe >
      • Patek Philippe before 1950
      • World Time
      • Perpetual Calendar
    • Rolex
    • Watches 2nd page
    • English Time Pieces
    • French Time Pieces
  • Glass and Crystal
    • Glass before 1900
    • Tiffany Studios
  • From Terracotta to Porcelain
    • Meissen
  • Textiles
  • Garment
  • Fashion
  • Books
    • Incunabula
    • 16th Century Books
    • 17th Century Books
    • Fine Books 1700-1850
  • Literature
    • Literature in English
    • Literature in French
  • Poems and Lyrics
  • Autograph
  • Manuscript
    • Illuminated Christian Manuscript
  • Religious Texts
  • Political Writing
  • Comic Books
  • Illustrators
  • Travel
  • Space
  • Maps
  • Cars in Movies
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Musical Instrument
    • Violin >
      • Violin 2nd page
    • Guitar
    • Musical Instrument 2nd page
  • Pop Music
    • The Beatles
  • Poster
  • Sport
    • Sport Equipment
    • Sport Uniform
    • Sport Document
    • Sport Rewards and Medals
    • T206 Wagner
    • Sport Images before 1950
    • Sport Cards 1950-80
    • Modern Sport Cards
    • Baseball >
      • Baseball Bat
      • Babe Ruth
      • Lou Gehrig
    • Basketball >
      • Jordan
    • Ice Hockey
    • Sport 2nd page
    • Olympic Games
  • Origins of Sports
  • Historical Arms
    • Blade and Armour
    • Colt 1836-62
    • Later Colts
    • Winchester
    • Firearms - 2nd page
  • Toys
  • Doll
  • Games
  • Stamps
    • World Stamps
    • US Stamps
    • Inverted Jenny
  • Inventions
  • Optical Instrument
  • Sciences
    • Ancient Science
    • Sciences 1600-1800
    • Sciences from 1800
    • Astronomy
    • Physics
    • Medicine
    • Dinosaur
  • Computing
  • Nobel Medals
  • Whisky
    • Whisky 2nd page
  • Wine
  • Plus
    • Plus 1880s
    • Plus 1962-64 Warhol
    • Plus 1982 Basquiat

World Time by Patek Philippe

Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : Time pieces  Patek Philippe

Intro

In the mid-1930s Louis Cottier invented a new horological complication for wristwatches, the Heures Universelles. The watch is equipped with two rotating rings. The user sets his position to the local time displayed by the central hands. The time in all cities of the world is a direct reading of the junction between the two rings.

Patek Philippe, which had delivered their Supercomplication watch to Graves in 1933, are eager for any invention. Their first integration tests of the Heures Universelles (HU) are carried out in 1937 with the support of the inventor.

These early units are experimental. They re-use old movements, perhaps chosen from their availability in the warehouse. The 96 HU is known in two units and the 515 HU in three units. Both 96 HU Calatrava and at least one of the rectangular 515 HU are assembled with cases in the same range of serial numbers. Both types refer to 28 cities.

The rotation of the city ring was not compatible with the 515 but Patek Philippe did not give up. The 542 HU, assembled in five units, is the last model of prototypes before the marketing begins in 1939 under the references 1416 HU and 1415 HU.

The 96 HU has long been considered as a unique piece, fueling frustration among experts because no photo was available despite an auction in 1969. It was sold for CHF 410K by Christie's on November 14, 2011.

The second watch surfaced in 2011. Unrestored, it was sold as is by Sotheby's on December 6, 2011 for $ 480K, lot 386. and for CHF 390K by Phillips on June 27, 2020, lot 64.

Reference 1415
​Intro

After the ephemeral 96 HU and 515 HU references used by Patek Philippe in the development phase, the reference 1415 HU released in 1939 marks a stabilization of that offer. 115 pieces were made. The 1415 HU will be replaced in 1953 by the 2523 HU with double crown.

​
Patek Philippe began in 1937 to assemble World Time watches (Heures Universelles, HU) with the movement patented and supplied by Louis Cottier, without obtaining an exclusivity. A 24 hour disc rotates counter clockwise in synchronisation with the hands. A ring on the bezel refers to 28 locations, later extended to 42. The time everywhere around the world is read directly by the position of these inscriptions in front of the rotating disc.

Launched in 1948 the very rare 1415 HU DE is an aesthetic refinement. DE stands for Décor émail. The dial is illustrated in cloisonné.

1
1946-1950 Platinum with Silver Dial
2002 SOLD for CHF 6.6M (worth at that time US $ 4M) by Antiquorum

The only known example in platinum  of the reference 1415 by Patek Philippe is embedded with a movement recorded in 1946 and completed in 1949-1950. The case was made by Wenger in 1949-1950 and the matte silver dial with applied platinum Arabic numerals by Stern Frères in the same date range.

It was sold by Antiquorum on April 13, 2002 for CHF 6.6M worth at that time US $ 4M, lot 608, and for HK $ 14.7M by Christie's on May 22, 2021, lot 2507.

​2
​1949-1953 Vieux Continents in Pink Gold
2021 SOLD for HK $ 17.7M by Christie's

The cloisonné enamel dials with continent maps appeared from 1948 on Heures Universelles pocket watches and wristwatches.

Two wristwatches 1415 were made in pink gold with the figure of the Vieux Continents (Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa). They have adjacent movement numbers attributed in 1949. The dials by Stern and the cases by Wenger were made ca 1952-1953.

One of them was sold for HK $ 17.7M by Christie's on May 22, 2021, lot 2508. The other example was sold for CHF 1.35M by Antiquorum on November 14, 1999, lot 520. It has been sold to its first owner in 1954.

A yellow gold 1415 with a 1949 movement and the Eurasia cloisonné enamel dial (without Africa and Australia) was sold for CHF 970K by Phillips on May 13, 2018, 
lot 268.

A pink gold North America pocket watch reference 605 was sold for CHF 1.17M by Christie's on May 10, 2021, 
lot 117.

3
1949 Vieux Continents in Pink Gold
1999 SOLD for CHF 1.35M by Antiquorum

A Patek Philippe wristwatch reference 1415 in pink gold with the dial if the Vieux Continents was sold for CHF 1.35M by Antiquorum on November 14, 1999, lot 520. It has been sold to its first owner in 1954.

Reference 2523
Intro

In 1953 the reference 2523 replaces the 1415 after a modification of the Cottier Heures Universelles calibre. A dual crown now enables to change the reference setting of the time zone. The user sets his position to the local time displayed by the central hands. The time in 41 cities of the world is a direct reading of the junction between the two rings.

​The 2523 is a luxury watch, most often equipped with an enameled dial. The case embedding the double crown is a technical feat.

​Two batches were produced in two ranges of movement numbers for a possible high total of 5 + 20 watches or slightly more. About half of them have a continent enamel figure.

The 2523 is in turn replaced in 1957 by its variant 2523-1 with a simplification of the lugs and a metal dial. The production of HU movements ceases in 1965.

1
​1953 Guilloché Gold in Yellow Gold
2021 SOLD for CHF 2.67M by Christie's

The production by Patek Philippe of the reference 2523 began in 1953. The lowest movement number is 720'300. 

The yellow gold watch embedding the 720'300 is fitted with the earliest known wave guilloché gold dial. Its indexes are raised in yellow gold. It was supplied to its first owner in 1958.

It was sold for CHF 2.67M by Christie's on November 8, 2021, lot 88.

2
​1953 Eurasia in Yellow Gold
2021 SOLD for CHF 7M by Phillips

Four 2523 are known from the first 1953 batch of movements. Three are fitted with an Eurasia cloisonné enamel dial and the fourth is a guilloché. The Eurasia design is a reuse from one of the dials of the 1415 in flat colors. The graduation of the enamel colors of the 2523 is arguably unprecedented.

The second 1953 batch was fitted with North America, South America, enamel blue and guilloché dials, with no Eurasia added.

One of the three Eurasia 2523s is a new discovery. It has the lowest case number in the whole 2523 reference and the lowest movement number associated with a 2523 Eurasia dial.

It was sold for CHF 7M by Phillips on May 8, 2021, lot 33. Please watch the video shared by Phillips where the features of this masterpiece are narrated in details by Aurel Bacs.

3
1955 Central America in Yellow Gold
​2012 SOLD for CHF 2.77M by Christie's

A North America (including Central America and Cuba) from the second 2523 batch was sold for CHF 2.77M from a lower estimate of CHF 1.6M by Christie's on May 14, 2012, lot 88. It has been assembled in 1955.

4
1953-1954 Ocean Blue in Pink Gold
2019 SOLD for HK$ 70M by Christie's

A pink gold 2523 in excellent condition without any sign of repair surfaced in 2010. It was twice sold by Christie's, for CHF 2.7M on November 15, 2010, lot 114, and for HK$ 70M on November 23, 2019, lot 2201. Please watch the video prepared by the auction house.

The dial and movement were made in 1953 and the case in 1954. The centre of its dial is not in cloisonné but is monochrome in a beautifully translucent ocean blue enamel. The watch was sold to Gobbi in Milan in 1957. It is the only 2523 to have on its dial a double signature of Patek Philippe and a retailer, a feature that is today eagerly sought after by watch collectors. The movement is from the second 2523 batch.

Time Pieces
Patek Philippe

Reference 2523/1

1
​​1966 Guilloché in Pink Gold
​2020 SOLD for CHF 5M by Phillips

The 2523 is too expensive and some movements had been left unused at the factory. Its 2523/1 evolution launched in 1957 is an attempt to simplify the assembly by changing the design of the lugs. The cloisonné dials are no more offered.

Once more the customers do not follow and this variant also is extremely rare. 

A 2523/1 in pink gold with guilloché dial assembled in 1966 with a 1954 movement was sold by the brand in 1973. Having resurfaced in time capsule condition, it was sold twice by Phillips, for HK$ 19.5M on May 31, 2016, lot 373, and for CHF 5M on November 6, 2020, lot 39.

2
1965 Yellow Gold
​2021 SOLD for HK$ 16M by Christie's

A 1965 yellow gold 2523/1 with rare luminous hands was sold by Christie's on May 22, 2021 for HK $ 16M from a lower estimate of HK $ 8M, lot 2509.

​A 2523/1 assembled in yellow gold in 1965 and sold by the brand in 1973 was sold by Christie's for CHF 1.12M on May 16, 2016.
​

2017 Reference 5531R-010
2021 SOLD for $ 2.2M by Sotheby's

The complication of the Heures Universelles (HU) is more spectacular than useful. It had been invented by Louis Cottier in 1937, when advances in aeronautics and telecommunications foresaw a globalization of business. The generalization of daylight saving time during the oil crisis of the 1970s makes this concept ineffective. Its mechanical setting is obsolete at the age of the integrated circuit.

Patek Philippe had no exclusivity on the Cottier patent but has never stopped proposing HU variants for prestige. The reference 5531R released in 2017 combines the Heures Universelles with a chiming minute repeater in a 42 mm case.

A pink gold 5531R-010 was sold for $ 2.2M from a lower estimate of $ 1M by Sotheby's on December 9, 2021, lot 148. Its cloisonné enamel dial is depicting the Manhattan skyline for celebrating a 10 day retrospective exhibition of the brand in New York. It is complete with all its accessories and unworn.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.