Lot Essay
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1979 and its subsequent sale on 6 December 1979.
Reference 3448, introduced into the market in 1962, was at the time the first self-winding perpetual calendar wristwatch. According to literature, a total of 586 examples were made, the majority in yellow gold cases. Few watches have been cased in white gold and only two examples in platinum are known to date.
Reference 3448 was fitted with the celebrated calibre 27-460, amongst the most sophisticated and lavish automatic movements ever made. It was later upgraded with Patek Philippe's patented perpetual calendar mechanism fitted on the movement plate underneath the dial and renamed 27-460 Q.
This "Padellone", how reference 3448 is kindly nick-named by the Italian community of watch collectors, must be considered a premium example of this timeless model. It is blessed with numerous attributes making it stand out from the larger field of references 3448. Being an example of the very last years of this reference's production, it features typical elements of the late 1970's run, most notably a sapphire crystal. Coming from a distinguished private collection, it is furthermore blessed with its uninterrupted private ownership for nearly a quarter of a century. In fact, until today it has only been offered once in its life when in 1989 it was part of the legendary 'The Art of Patek Philippe' theme auction which was held to celebrate the firm's 150th anniversary.
In 1981, reference 3450 was introduced into the market with the improved 27-460 QB (Quantième Bissextile) calibre. The model differs from its predecessor by the added leap year indication, the eccentric small window to 4 o'clock. The first series was made with a red disk and Arabic numerals, the second with Roman I, II, III and IIII leap year indication. A total of 244 examples of reference 3450 were made, the majority in yellow gold cases, only two in white gold are known to date.
Production of both reference 3448 and 3450 was discontinued in 1985 when reference 3940 was launched.
Reference 3448 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, p. 288 and in Ore d'Oro by Jader Barracca, Giampiero Negretti and Franco Nencini, p. 45.
Reference 3448, introduced into the market in 1962, was at the time the first self-winding perpetual calendar wristwatch. According to literature, a total of 586 examples were made, the majority in yellow gold cases. Few watches have been cased in white gold and only two examples in platinum are known to date.
Reference 3448 was fitted with the celebrated calibre 27-460, amongst the most sophisticated and lavish automatic movements ever made. It was later upgraded with Patek Philippe's patented perpetual calendar mechanism fitted on the movement plate underneath the dial and renamed 27-460 Q.
This "Padellone", how reference 3448 is kindly nick-named by the Italian community of watch collectors, must be considered a premium example of this timeless model. It is blessed with numerous attributes making it stand out from the larger field of references 3448. Being an example of the very last years of this reference's production, it features typical elements of the late 1970's run, most notably a sapphire crystal. Coming from a distinguished private collection, it is furthermore blessed with its uninterrupted private ownership for nearly a quarter of a century. In fact, until today it has only been offered once in its life when in 1989 it was part of the legendary 'The Art of Patek Philippe' theme auction which was held to celebrate the firm's 150th anniversary.
In 1981, reference 3450 was introduced into the market with the improved 27-460 QB (Quantième Bissextile) calibre. The model differs from its predecessor by the added leap year indication, the eccentric small window to 4 o'clock. The first series was made with a red disk and Arabic numerals, the second with Roman I, II, III and IIII leap year indication. A total of 244 examples of reference 3450 were made, the majority in yellow gold cases, only two in white gold are known to date.
Production of both reference 3448 and 3450 was discontinued in 1985 when reference 3940 was launched.
Reference 3448 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, p. 288 and in Ore d'Oro by Jader Barracca, Giampiero Negretti and Franco Nencini, p. 45.