In production from 1940 to 1952, this masterpiece combines a Calatrava-style case and a minimalist dial audaciously ahead of its time. In fact, a similar style of dial layout - with a subsidiary dial at 6 o'clock and openings for day of the week and month at 12 - can be found in Patek Philippe perpetual calendar watches over the following three decades, most notably references 2497, 2438/1, 3448 and 3450.

Scholarship indicates that there were 211 examples of Ref. 1526 were produced:
Stainless Steel: 1 Piece Unique
Yellow Gold: 210 Examples
Pink gold: 45 Examples
This particular Lot is coming from a private collector who purchased the timepiece at Christies during the fall season of 2005. This very desirable early long signature example, with case made by Emile Vichet, is Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with silvered dial and applied gold hour markers in 1944 and its subsequent sale on 25 March 1946

Reference 1526 is illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, first edition, p. 215, and in Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe Watches Volume II, pp. 288-289.