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Lot Essay
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with enamel dial and pink gold bracelet in 1957 and its subsequent sale on 16 August 1958.
The present watch is an excellent example of Patek Philippe's iconic reference 2526 in pink gold. The attractive ensemble of traditional enamel dial with applied gold indexes combined with the original pink gold Gay Frères bracelet make the watch a trophy for any discerning watch collector. Fresh to the market, the watch further attracts by virtue of its very good overall condition. It is rare to still find a watch like this with its original bracelet and in such excellent condition.
According to research, the present watch is one of only 90 pink gold examples known to have appeared on the auction market. The majority of watches of this reference were encased in yellow gold, only a small series of the reference was made in pink gold and an exceedingly limited number exists in white gold and platinum.
Reference 2526 was introduced to the market in 1952 and was Patek Philippe's first self-winding watch, starting with movement number 760'000 (delivered in July 1953 to Mr. J.B. Champion, one of Patek Philippe's faithful clients. This watch, fitted with a gold bracelet, is today the pride of a discerning collector). Production of the reference lasted until 1960, ending with case number 767'099. The model features the legendary calibre 12-600 AT which was granted Swiss patent No. 289758 in 1953 for "a self-winding mechanism for a wristwatch movement using the energy supplied by a rotary mass causing an eccentric part to transmit a swinging movement to an organ of the mechanism"
Other examples of reference 2526 are illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 1st edition pp. 168-169, 2nd edition pp. 213, 216-217.
The present watch is an excellent example of Patek Philippe's iconic reference 2526 in pink gold. The attractive ensemble of traditional enamel dial with applied gold indexes combined with the original pink gold Gay Frères bracelet make the watch a trophy for any discerning watch collector. Fresh to the market, the watch further attracts by virtue of its very good overall condition. It is rare to still find a watch like this with its original bracelet and in such excellent condition.
According to research, the present watch is one of only 90 pink gold examples known to have appeared on the auction market. The majority of watches of this reference were encased in yellow gold, only a small series of the reference was made in pink gold and an exceedingly limited number exists in white gold and platinum.
Reference 2526 was introduced to the market in 1952 and was Patek Philippe's first self-winding watch, starting with movement number 760'000 (delivered in July 1953 to Mr. J.B. Champion, one of Patek Philippe's faithful clients. This watch, fitted with a gold bracelet, is today the pride of a discerning collector). Production of the reference lasted until 1960, ending with case number 767'099. The model features the legendary calibre 12-600 AT which was granted Swiss patent No. 289758 in 1953 for "a self-winding mechanism for a wristwatch movement using the energy supplied by a rotary mass causing an eccentric part to transmit a swinging movement to an organ of the mechanism"
Other examples of reference 2526 are illustrated in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 1st edition pp. 168-169, 2nd edition pp. 213, 216-217.