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Lot Essay
Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with 12 cabochons and 2 diamonds to the dial in 1949 and its subsequent sale on 8 December 1949.
Reference 1593, launched in 1944, is one of Patek Philippe's best designs ever given to a rectangular wristwatch. Mainly cased in gold, it was available with different dial layouts as well as with the most attractive cloisonné enamel version, very popular in the late 1940s/early 1950s. Given the high cost of such a dial, these were often made upon special order, the motif chosen by the client. Consequently, only a limited number of these unique watches exist.
The present watch and its attractive and unusual dial depicting the map of Egypt and Sudan, the capitals Cairo and Khartoum marked by small diamonds, was most certainly made upon special order for King Farouk I of Egypt. It is believed to be one of only two examples of reference 1593 fitted with a "Map of Egypt" enamel dial to exist to date, the two dials showing certain differences though, hence rendering each watch a unique piece. Its "sibling" is on permanent exhibition at the prestigious Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva and is furthermore illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, p. 141.
Farouk (1 February 1920 - 18 March 1965), son of King Fuad I (1868-1936) was the King of Egypt from 1936 to 1952. His full title was "H.M. Farouk I, by the grace of God, King of Egypt and of Sudan, Sovereign of Nubia, of Kordofan and of Darfur". Educated in Egypt and England, he ascended the throne in 1936. In 1952 a coup led by Gamal Abdel Nasser forced him to abdicate. He was succeeded by his infant son, Fu'ad II, until 1953 when Egypt became a republic.
An avid collector especially of small decorative objects which he kept in the Koubbeh Palace, King Farouk's collection comprised important watches and clocks, a precious stamp collection, an 8,500-piece coin and medals collection, clocks and watches as well as many other beautiful antiquities including a 1906 Fabergé egg that belonged to the last Russian Czar. Particularly fond of fine and decorative timepieces which he would also often present as a gift, he used to order watches from the world's most prestigious watchmakers. After Farouk's abdication, his collection was sold at auction in Cairo in 1954, a sale that took nine days due to the amount of property offered.
Reference 1593, launched in 1944, is one of Patek Philippe's best designs ever given to a rectangular wristwatch. Mainly cased in gold, it was available with different dial layouts as well as with the most attractive cloisonné enamel version, very popular in the late 1940s/early 1950s. Given the high cost of such a dial, these were often made upon special order, the motif chosen by the client. Consequently, only a limited number of these unique watches exist.
The present watch and its attractive and unusual dial depicting the map of Egypt and Sudan, the capitals Cairo and Khartoum marked by small diamonds, was most certainly made upon special order for King Farouk I of Egypt. It is believed to be one of only two examples of reference 1593 fitted with a "Map of Egypt" enamel dial to exist to date, the two dials showing certain differences though, hence rendering each watch a unique piece. Its "sibling" is on permanent exhibition at the prestigious Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva and is furthermore illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, p. 141.
Farouk (1 February 1920 - 18 March 1965), son of King Fuad I (1868-1936) was the King of Egypt from 1936 to 1952. His full title was "H.M. Farouk I, by the grace of God, King of Egypt and of Sudan, Sovereign of Nubia, of Kordofan and of Darfur". Educated in Egypt and England, he ascended the throne in 1936. In 1952 a coup led by Gamal Abdel Nasser forced him to abdicate. He was succeeded by his infant son, Fu'ad II, until 1953 when Egypt became a republic.
An avid collector especially of small decorative objects which he kept in the Koubbeh Palace, King Farouk's collection comprised important watches and clocks, a precious stamp collection, an 8,500-piece coin and medals collection, clocks and watches as well as many other beautiful antiquities including a 1906 Fabergé egg that belonged to the last Russian Czar. Particularly fond of fine and decorative timepieces which he would also often present as a gift, he used to order watches from the world's most prestigious watchmakers. After Farouk's abdication, his collection was sold at auction in Cairo in 1954, a sale that took nine days due to the amount of property offered.