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Lot Essay
US$150,000-250,000
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with raised hour markers in gold in 1952 and its subsequent sale on 4 June 1953.
Reference 1526 is often not credited for its historical importance, being the world's first perpetual calendar wristwatch made in series, and its beautiful design, a masterpiece of purism and elegance.
Consigned by an important private collector and fresh to the market, this watch offered here for sale must be counted amongst the most attractive examples of a reference 1526. Examples in pink gold are exceedingly rare and in fact, according to our research, the present watch is one of only 30 examples in pink gold to have come up for auction to date. The present watch in pink gold is the perfect proof of how strong and masculine reference 1526 can be if well preserved over the years.
Manufacture of reference 1526, highly appreciated by collectors and immediately recognisable by its Calatrava-style case, was launched in 1941. According to literature, only 210 examples were made, the majority cased in yellow gold, few examples were made in pink gold, such as the present lot. Only one example in steel, now at Patek Philippe's prestigious watch museum in Geneva, is known to have been made.
Reference 1526 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, pp. 282 & 283.
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with raised hour markers in gold in 1952 and its subsequent sale on 4 June 1953.
Reference 1526 is often not credited for its historical importance, being the world's first perpetual calendar wristwatch made in series, and its beautiful design, a masterpiece of purism and elegance.
Consigned by an important private collector and fresh to the market, this watch offered here for sale must be counted amongst the most attractive examples of a reference 1526. Examples in pink gold are exceedingly rare and in fact, according to our research, the present watch is one of only 30 examples in pink gold to have come up for auction to date. The present watch in pink gold is the perfect proof of how strong and masculine reference 1526 can be if well preserved over the years.
Manufacture of reference 1526, highly appreciated by collectors and immediately recognisable by its Calatrava-style case, was launched in 1941. According to literature, only 210 examples were made, the majority cased in yellow gold, few examples were made in pink gold, such as the present lot. Only one example in steel, now at Patek Philippe's prestigious watch museum in Geneva, is known to have been made.
Reference 1526 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, pp. 282 & 283.