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Lot Essay
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with raised hour markers and tachometer scale in 1952 and its subsequent sale on 27 January 1955. Furthermore delivered with Patek Philippe fitted brown presentation box containing a spare crystal.
The present split seconds chronograph is a wonderful representative of Patek Philippe's post-war production of complicated pocket watches. It combines several technical and esthetical elements which are well known to collectors, in particular wristwatch aficionados. The movement used for this watch is the famous 13 lines calibre, best known from reference 1436 but also 1563. In fact, the vertically positioned subsidiary dials become an obvious choice given the position of the chronograph buttons located to the left and right of the winding crown. It takes a simple rotation of 90 degrees clockwise to recognize the traditional wristwatch layout of buttons and subsidiary dials.
Furthermore the Arabic numerals and batons are in the very style also regularly found on chronograph wristwatches from the early 1950s. The case shape is also known from other complicated dress watches from the same period, notably the world timers and perpetual calendars (see lots 72, 73 and 75 in this auction).
Fresh to the market, the present reference 755 is believed to be one of only four examples of this model in yellow gold to appear in public to date. As the other three all feature a different dial layout, it can be considered as a unique piece.
Interestingly, the case back is stamped inside with reference 685, the model number of the simple chronograph dress watch of the period (see lot 77 in this auction). One can comfortably conclude that, upon the request of a split seconds chronograph watch, Patek Philippe used an existing 685 back and integrated it to this wonderful specimen.
Production of reference 755 was launched around 1940 and remained in Patek Philippe's catalogues until the early 1960s. The model is so far known to exist exclusively in yellow gold cases.
The present split seconds chronograph is a wonderful representative of Patek Philippe's post-war production of complicated pocket watches. It combines several technical and esthetical elements which are well known to collectors, in particular wristwatch aficionados. The movement used for this watch is the famous 13 lines calibre, best known from reference 1436 but also 1563. In fact, the vertically positioned subsidiary dials become an obvious choice given the position of the chronograph buttons located to the left and right of the winding crown. It takes a simple rotation of 90 degrees clockwise to recognize the traditional wristwatch layout of buttons and subsidiary dials.
Furthermore the Arabic numerals and batons are in the very style also regularly found on chronograph wristwatches from the early 1950s. The case shape is also known from other complicated dress watches from the same period, notably the world timers and perpetual calendars (see lots 72, 73 and 75 in this auction).
Fresh to the market, the present reference 755 is believed to be one of only four examples of this model in yellow gold to appear in public to date. As the other three all feature a different dial layout, it can be considered as a unique piece.
Interestingly, the case back is stamped inside with reference 685, the model number of the simple chronograph dress watch of the period (see lot 77 in this auction). One can comfortably conclude that, upon the request of a split seconds chronograph watch, Patek Philippe used an existing 685 back and integrated it to this wonderful specimen.
Production of reference 755 was launched around 1940 and remained in Patek Philippe's catalogues until the early 1960s. The model is so far known to exist exclusively in yellow gold cases.