Patek Philippe. An attractive stainless steel wristwatch with Breguet numerals and box

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One of the most important traits in a watch is its case material. The normally accepted canon in horology is that steel cases are the most common followed by yellow gold, then there is pink and white gold and eventually platinum cases are the rarest. There are however some notable exceptions to this rule. These exceptions concern watches made in the first half of the 20th century. Back then, wristwatches were a much scarcer and comparatively extremely expensive commodity. Consequently, buyers of fine timepieces, especially if manufactured by a high-end watchmaking brand such as, for example, Patek Philippe, were keen to having their watches cased in a noble metal, usually yellow gold, the most classic of the precious metals. Cases in base metals or steel were regarded as a cheap finish, unsuitable for the refined and costly piece of engineering that was being purchased: at the time, having a Patek Philippe in steel would have been akin to buying a priceless work of art by an important artist, and then framing it with the cheapest possible frame available. As a result, Patek Philippe wristwatches from that period cased in steel are considered as some of the scarcest timepieces on the market, and part of the ultimate echelon of watch collecting. Christie's is proud to offer the following selection of vintage Patek Philippe steel wristwatches.

Patek Philippe. An attractive stainless steel wristwatch with Breguet numerals and box

SIGNED PATEK, PHILIPPE & CO., GENÈVE, CALATRAVA MODEL, REF. 96, MOVEMENT NO. 967'352, CASE NO. 658'801, MANUFACTURED IN 1950

Details

Patek Philippe. An attractive stainless steel wristwatch with Breguet numerals and box
Signed Patek, Philippe & Co., Genève, Calatrava model, ref. 96, movement no. 967'352, case no. 658'801, manufactured in 1950
Cal. 12'''120 mechanical jewelled movement, silvered matte dial, black hard enamel Breguet numerals, outer railway minute divisions, engine-turned subsidiary dial for constant seconds, circular case, flat bezel, snap on back, case, dial, and movement signed
30.5 mm. diam.

Special Notice

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Lot Essay

With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with silvered dial, raised steel indexes in 1950 and its subsequent sale on 14 February 1951. Furthermore delivered with Patek Philippe fitted presentation box.

Originally sold with a silvered dial with raised steel indexes, the watch now sports a highly attractive version with black hard enamel Breguet numerals. It is believed to be one of only three examples of a stainless steel reference 96 known to date featuring this dial layout as opposed to the better known version with applied indexes.

A similar watch is illustrated in Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe Watches Volume II, pp. 329-335.

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