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Lot Essay
With Patek Philippe Certificat d'Origine et de Garantie dated 17 March 1949. Furthermore delivered with Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in pink gold with raised gold indexes and inscription to the case back in 1948 and its subsequent sale on 17 March 1949.
Consigned by the grandson of the original owner, this watch has never been offered in public before. It is believed to be the only 10th example of a reference 1596 in pink gold to have appeared in public to date, the rarity enhanced by the presence of the original certificate.
Reference 1596 was in production from 1944 until the early 1950s and was available in yellow and pink gold. The model is distinguished by its elegant case design.
The present watch belonged to Mr. Cesare Lucchini (1885-1965), member of a reputable family from the Sotto-Ceneri, canton Ticino, the Italian part of Switzerland. It was presented to him for by the Bahnhof-Kühlhaus AG in Basel in 1945. When he passed away in 1965 the watch was handed down to his grandson who has now consigned it to this auction.
Even though he had spent most of his life in the German speaking part, Cesare Lucchini was a highly respected personality in his home canton. He started his career as a railway engineer for the Swiss Federal Railways in 1923, was named General Manager in 1939 and Chief Executive Officer in 1950. He was furthermore a Colonel in the Swiss Military Staff, a "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur" in France and Honorary President of the European Railway Union with headquarters in Strasbourg, France.
Consigned by the grandson of the original owner, this watch has never been offered in public before. It is believed to be the only 10th example of a reference 1596 in pink gold to have appeared in public to date, the rarity enhanced by the presence of the original certificate.
Reference 1596 was in production from 1944 until the early 1950s and was available in yellow and pink gold. The model is distinguished by its elegant case design.
The present watch belonged to Mr. Cesare Lucchini (1885-1965), member of a reputable family from the Sotto-Ceneri, canton Ticino, the Italian part of Switzerland. It was presented to him for by the Bahnhof-Kühlhaus AG in Basel in 1945. When he passed away in 1965 the watch was handed down to his grandson who has now consigned it to this auction.
Even though he had spent most of his life in the German speaking part, Cesare Lucchini was a highly respected personality in his home canton. He started his career as a railway engineer for the Swiss Federal Railways in 1923, was named General Manager in 1939 and Chief Executive Officer in 1950. He was furthermore a Colonel in the Swiss Military Staff, a "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur" in France and Honorary President of the European Railway Union with headquarters in Strasbourg, France.