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Lot Essay
To the best of our knowledge, this watch is the so far only example of a Patek Philippe Louis XV style repoussé case with "Hercules" decoration and chronograph function, a highly unusual combination, known to have appeared in public to date.
According to the Extract it was sold with a half open-face bassine case, silver dial and a back cover without embossed ornaments. The firm’s workbooks however record a "rhabillage" or "repair/servicing" to the case in 1899 without stating any details; it can therefore safely be assumed that this intervention refers to the exchange of the back cover against the present one as well as the dial which had to match the renaissance style of the case.
Such Renaissance style cases were often designed by Georges Hantz, director of the Decorative Arts Museum in Geneva and renowned for his chased and engraved watch cases and moulds for embossing cases and stamping coins or medals.
Similarly decorated dials are illustrated in Patek Philippe Pocket Watches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, pp. 133 & 141, pl. 63a & 75a.
According to the Extract it was sold with a half open-face bassine case, silver dial and a back cover without embossed ornaments. The firm’s workbooks however record a "rhabillage" or "repair/servicing" to the case in 1899 without stating any details; it can therefore safely be assumed that this intervention refers to the exchange of the back cover against the present one as well as the dial which had to match the renaissance style of the case.
Such Renaissance style cases were often designed by Georges Hantz, director of the Decorative Arts Museum in Geneva and renowned for his chased and engraved watch cases and moulds for embossing cases and stamping coins or medals.
Similarly decorated dials are illustrated in Patek Philippe Pocket Watches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, pp. 133 & 141, pl. 63a & 75a.