.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
One of a Kind & the First Time at Auction - REF. 1579R – Double Signed Gobbi, Milano with Unique Engraved Bezel
The Property of the Family of the Original Owner
This pink gold reference 1579 with unique engraved bezel can be considered as one of the rarest chronographs ever made by Patek Philippe, and as such, joins the rarefied and exclusive group of true ‘one-off’ chronographs which have become the some of the ultimate trophies among vintage Patek Philippe watches.
Furthermore, not only is this watch the only known Ref. 1579 with an engraved bezel, but it is also the only Patek Philippe chronograph of any reference so far known to be made with such a bezel. In addition, the dial is one of only six known examples of reference 1579 in pink gold to be double signed with both Patek Philippe’s signature and that of the prestigious Milan retailer Gobbi.
The discovery of the present watch offers a very important opportunity for a collector to become only the second owner in over 60 years of this unique and highly attractive chronograph.
It is most exciting that this watch has never been offered in public before, and, until last year, it remained completely unknown. In the hands of the original owner’s family since new, until its discovery, nobody would have imagined that such a bezel design existed on a reference 1579. Research by leading Patek Philippe scholars has revealed that only this single example of the reference was ever made with an engraved bezel. An e-mail to Mr. Trevisi (Patek Philippe’s customer director for Italy), states that the Patek Philippe Archives confirm that one sole example of Ref. 1579 was made with an engraved bezel – the present watch, movement no. 868’845, case no. 693’233.
The Dial
Second series, Mark 1, made by Stern Frères in 1956, on a silver plate base, with engraved sunken registers, matte silver “satiné-opalin” surface finish, engraved-enamelled seconds scale, fifth-of-a-second and printed tachymeter scale. The back of the dial is punch numbered Stern Frères: 93 781. The 93 is the code for Patek Philippe, the 781 is the dial order reference number. The applied 6 and 12 hour markers and the eight “pyramid” shape faceted small indexes are hand-cut pink gold. The “feuille” hour and minutes hands are gold, as is the subsidiary seconds hand. The chronograph and the register hand are made from flamed blued steel.
During its life of over 60 years, the dial has been perfectly restored only once or twice and according to the most respected Patek Philippe scholars, this work is of such high standard that it could only have been carried out by Stern Frères themselves.
The Case
Serial no. 693’233, made in 1955 by Wenger, one of the all-time best Geneva Master case makers and is punched with his mark of number 1 within a key. Of three-piece construction with snapped bezel and back and soldered faceted lugs.
The case band is of typical shape, there is only one hallmark still clearly visible, the other worn away over the years. The lugs are beautifully preserved and not re-shaped as is often seen on this reference. The 18K gold chronograph pushers are original, the crown has been changed during a service, probably in the 1990’s or more recently. Most importantly, the unique bezel is still very well preserved and quite impressive even today after many years of careful use. Reassuringly, the bezel is properly marked on its inside with the last three digits of the case serial number, 233.
The Movement
Serial no. 868’845, made in 1955, cal. 13’’’130, stamped with the seal of Geneva, rhodium plated brass, based on a valjoux 13’’’ ébauche, especially made for Patek Philippe, 23 jewels, 18’000 oscillations, mono-metallic amagnetic balance, micrometric precision adjustment. Until the 1970s, less than half of Patek Phiippe’s chronograph production bore the Geneva Seal. It is thought that the necessary extra testing was carried out on the client’s (in this case Gobbi) request.
The movement has been fully overhauled in the workshops of Patek Philippe in recent years.
Gobbi Milano
In 1842, Raimondo Gobbi, a lover of horology, opened his workshop in Modena. The business was carried on with such competence and commitment that already ten years later, in 1852, the Grand Duke allowed him to boast of the appointment “Clockmaker to the Royal Court”. At the time, the sales and focus was on pocket watches and pendulum clocks. Raimondo’s youngest son, Giuseppe, helped with his technical skills to develop the firm and in 1896 he moved to Milan, opening a workshop in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. The great-grandsons Aldo and Gastone worked in the business from the early 1930s onwards, making the shop a leader in Italy in sales of Swiss clocks and watches and later adding goldsmithing and jewellery.
The first workshop was destroyed during the last war. On 4th September 1949 the current shop was inaugurated, and still retains the original furnishings of the time. Currently the business is managed by Luca Pozzolini Gobbi, Gastone’s son, and by his daughter Serena. With more than 170 years of history, the GOBBI firm can today affirm with pride that it has served its customers’ families for six generations.
Reference 1579
Reference 1579 was launched at the Basel fair in 1943 and remained in Patek Philippe catalogues until 1964. The three-piece cases were made by Wenger, the dials were provided by the renowned Stern Frères, the movements based on the Valjoux 13''' ébauche, renamed by Patek Philippe calibre 13-130 after having been finished to highest standards in the firm’s workshops. Around 470 watches were made in total and of these, approximately 185 were made in pink gold.
Reference 1579 was made in two series:
-1st series from 1943 to 1949: Arabic and baton numerals, baton or feuille hands
-2nd series from 1950 to 1964: Arabic and square numerals, feuille hands, such as the present watch
The present watch is published in:
Blue Book 1 by Eric Tortella, 2018 edition, p.389 (see fig.3.3.12.85).
For further examples of the Ref. 1579 see:
Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 1998 edition, page 265.
Patek Philippe Museum Vol. II by Patek Philippe, 2014 edition, pp. 267-268.
Blue Book 1 by Eric Tortella, 2018 edition, p. 354-391.
We are grateful to Eric Tortella for his assistance and study in researching this watch.
Another Patek Philippe Ref. 1579 is described and illustrated in Patek Philippe My Dream Collection by Ali Nael, April 2021 Edition, p. 340-341
The Property of the Family of the Original Owner
This pink gold reference 1579 with unique engraved bezel can be considered as one of the rarest chronographs ever made by Patek Philippe, and as such, joins the rarefied and exclusive group of true ‘one-off’ chronographs which have become the some of the ultimate trophies among vintage Patek Philippe watches.
Furthermore, not only is this watch the only known Ref. 1579 with an engraved bezel, but it is also the only Patek Philippe chronograph of any reference so far known to be made with such a bezel. In addition, the dial is one of only six known examples of reference 1579 in pink gold to be double signed with both Patek Philippe’s signature and that of the prestigious Milan retailer Gobbi.
The discovery of the present watch offers a very important opportunity for a collector to become only the second owner in over 60 years of this unique and highly attractive chronograph.
It is most exciting that this watch has never been offered in public before, and, until last year, it remained completely unknown. In the hands of the original owner’s family since new, until its discovery, nobody would have imagined that such a bezel design existed on a reference 1579. Research by leading Patek Philippe scholars has revealed that only this single example of the reference was ever made with an engraved bezel. An e-mail to Mr. Trevisi (Patek Philippe’s customer director for Italy), states that the Patek Philippe Archives confirm that one sole example of Ref. 1579 was made with an engraved bezel – the present watch, movement no. 868’845, case no. 693’233.
The Dial
Second series, Mark 1, made by Stern Frères in 1956, on a silver plate base, with engraved sunken registers, matte silver “satiné-opalin” surface finish, engraved-enamelled seconds scale, fifth-of-a-second and printed tachymeter scale. The back of the dial is punch numbered Stern Frères: 93 781. The 93 is the code for Patek Philippe, the 781 is the dial order reference number. The applied 6 and 12 hour markers and the eight “pyramid” shape faceted small indexes are hand-cut pink gold. The “feuille” hour and minutes hands are gold, as is the subsidiary seconds hand. The chronograph and the register hand are made from flamed blued steel.
During its life of over 60 years, the dial has been perfectly restored only once or twice and according to the most respected Patek Philippe scholars, this work is of such high standard that it could only have been carried out by Stern Frères themselves.
The Case
Serial no. 693’233, made in 1955 by Wenger, one of the all-time best Geneva Master case makers and is punched with his mark of number 1 within a key. Of three-piece construction with snapped bezel and back and soldered faceted lugs.
The case band is of typical shape, there is only one hallmark still clearly visible, the other worn away over the years. The lugs are beautifully preserved and not re-shaped as is often seen on this reference. The 18K gold chronograph pushers are original, the crown has been changed during a service, probably in the 1990’s or more recently. Most importantly, the unique bezel is still very well preserved and quite impressive even today after many years of careful use. Reassuringly, the bezel is properly marked on its inside with the last three digits of the case serial number, 233.
The Movement
Serial no. 868’845, made in 1955, cal. 13’’’130, stamped with the seal of Geneva, rhodium plated brass, based on a valjoux 13’’’ ébauche, especially made for Patek Philippe, 23 jewels, 18’000 oscillations, mono-metallic amagnetic balance, micrometric precision adjustment. Until the 1970s, less than half of Patek Phiippe’s chronograph production bore the Geneva Seal. It is thought that the necessary extra testing was carried out on the client’s (in this case Gobbi) request.
The movement has been fully overhauled in the workshops of Patek Philippe in recent years.
Gobbi Milano
In 1842, Raimondo Gobbi, a lover of horology, opened his workshop in Modena. The business was carried on with such competence and commitment that already ten years later, in 1852, the Grand Duke allowed him to boast of the appointment “Clockmaker to the Royal Court”. At the time, the sales and focus was on pocket watches and pendulum clocks. Raimondo’s youngest son, Giuseppe, helped with his technical skills to develop the firm and in 1896 he moved to Milan, opening a workshop in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. The great-grandsons Aldo and Gastone worked in the business from the early 1930s onwards, making the shop a leader in Italy in sales of Swiss clocks and watches and later adding goldsmithing and jewellery.
The first workshop was destroyed during the last war. On 4th September 1949 the current shop was inaugurated, and still retains the original furnishings of the time. Currently the business is managed by Luca Pozzolini Gobbi, Gastone’s son, and by his daughter Serena. With more than 170 years of history, the GOBBI firm can today affirm with pride that it has served its customers’ families for six generations.
Reference 1579
Reference 1579 was launched at the Basel fair in 1943 and remained in Patek Philippe catalogues until 1964. The three-piece cases were made by Wenger, the dials were provided by the renowned Stern Frères, the movements based on the Valjoux 13''' ébauche, renamed by Patek Philippe calibre 13-130 after having been finished to highest standards in the firm’s workshops. Around 470 watches were made in total and of these, approximately 185 were made in pink gold.
Reference 1579 was made in two series:
-1st series from 1943 to 1949: Arabic and baton numerals, baton or feuille hands
-2nd series from 1950 to 1964: Arabic and square numerals, feuille hands, such as the present watch
The present watch is published in:
Blue Book 1 by Eric Tortella, 2018 edition, p.389 (see fig.3.3.12.85).
For further examples of the Ref. 1579 see:
Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, 1998 edition, page 265.
Patek Philippe Museum Vol. II by Patek Philippe, 2014 edition, pp. 267-268.
Blue Book 1 by Eric Tortella, 2018 edition, p. 354-391.
We are grateful to Eric Tortella for his assistance and study in researching this watch.
Another Patek Philippe Ref. 1579 is described and illustrated in Patek Philippe My Dream Collection by Ali Nael, April 2021 Edition, p. 340-341