PATEK PHILIPPE. AN EXCEPTIONAL AND LEGENDARY 18K PINK GOLD PERPETUAL CALENDAR CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH WITH MOON PHASES AND FRENCH CALENDAR
REF. 1518, ONLY KNOWN "FAB. SUISSE", MOVEMENT NO. 868'240, CASE NO. 674'152, MANUFACTURED IN 1951
PATEK PHILIPPE. AN EXCEPTIONAL AND LEGENDARY 18K PINK GOLD PERPETUAL CALENDAR CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH WITH MOON PHASES AND FRENCH CALENDAR
REF. 1518, ONLY KNOWN "FAB. SUISSE", MOVEMENT NO. 868'240, CASE NO. 674'152, MANUFACTURED IN 1951
Movement: Manual
Dial: Silvered, signed “FAB. SUISSE”
Case: 35 mm.
With: 18k pink gold Patek Philippe buckle, Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives and comprehensive study by Tortella & Sons It is always exciting when a Patek Philippe reference 1518 perpetual calendar chronograph is offered at auction, much more so when it is considered the only surviving example of its type. In terms of beauty, quality, and rarity, the present watch is one of the best examples of the reference.
Christie’s Hong Kong is honored to present the fabled “FAB. SUISSE” pink gold reference 1518 ‘Big Crown’ of 1953, made as a unique example for the famed Parisian retailer Guillermin. Unseen in public for over 30 years, it is the only pink gold 1518 with ‘FAB. SUISSE’ dial known to have survived. It is undoubtedly one of the greatest vintage Patek Philippe wristwatches in existence and arguably the most important pink gold reference 1518 ever made.
The FAB. SUISSE designation printed on the dial beneath the moon phase is only seen on watches that were exported to France. On the present watch, it is confirmed by the presence of the ‘double-owl’ French import mark and the mark of Guillermin & Mollet, the French official importer, stamped on the case back. Naturally, the calendar discs are in French.
No more than 60 examples of reference 1518, one of the rarest and most significant of all Patek Philippe wristwatches, were ever cased in pink gold. Among those, only 46 have been identified. The present watch is the only example to have survived with the ‘FAB. SUISSE’ designation on the dial and all the necessary French import marks on the case back.
Sold to its first owner in 1955 and last seen at auction more than three decades ago, the present watch was one of the last examples of the reference to have been made and sold by Patek Philippe. When it was first sold, reference 2499 had already been in production for nearly 5 years.
In fact, the very last 1518s were made concurrently with the first 2499s, as evident in the large, elegant font of the enamel engraved month and day of the week indications in the calendar windows of the present watch, a feature shared by the earliest 2499s. The dial, in very good overall condition, has developed a charming cream-colored patina and slight oxidation around the applied numerals.
The case has remained in superb condition and retains original proportions after 70 years. The hallmarks and French import marks are clearly legible. In addition, the ‘big crown’ and pushers are likely original to the watch.
It is a rare occasion indeed when a vintage Patek Philippe wristwatch of such significance is seen on the open market today. It can be said without exaggeration that the present ‘pink fifteen-eighteen’ would constitute a centrepiece in any of the world's most important collections.
Provenance
1951 – movement made
1953 – watch completed
1955 – sold to the first owner on 23rd May, 1955
1993 – sold Antiquorum Geneva
1993 – 2024 – An important private collector
The Dial
Made circa 1951by Stern Frères, Second series, Mark II, made by Stern Frères on a solid gold plate, pink gold Arabic and dot hour markers, engraved enamelled short Patek Philippe, Genève signature, engraved sunken registers, silvered surface finish, engraved-enamelled seconds scale, tachymeter scale, date and 30-minute register. Printed designation ‘FAB. SUISSE’, the days of the week and months calendar in French. The moon phase with 10 stars is artisan enamelled on a gold base plate. The ‘feuille’ hour and minutes hands are gold, the subsidiary seconds hand, chronograph and the register hand are made from flamed blued steel.
The Case
Serial no. 674’152, made in 1949 and delivered by Emile Vichet in 1953, one of the all-time best Geneva Master case makers and is punched with his mark of number 9 within a key. Of three-piece construction with snapped bezel and back. Oversized crown named ‘Big Crown’ by collectors, attributed to Boninchi Frères. Both hallmarks visible, the case back stamped with the ‘Double-Owl’ French import mark and the mark of Guillermin & Mollet, the French official importers.
The Movement
Serial no. 868’240, made in 1951, cal. 13’’’130 Q, rhodium plated brass, based on a valjoux 13’’’ ébauche, finished by Patek Philippe to the highest standards of the time, under dial modifications by the Victorin Piguet workshop in order to receive the perpetual calendar function, 23 jewels, monometallic balance with 8 adjustments, micrometric precision regulator. Original bridges stamped with two or three-digit serial number recall numbers on the reverse. Re-rhodiumed surfaces with original Geneva stripe decoration.
We are grateful to Eric and Gabriel Tortella for their assistance and study in researching this watch.
Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
The perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch is more closely associated with Patek Philippe than perhaps any other model other than the Nautilus. Indeed, the story of the perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch walks hand in hand with the history of Patek Philippe itself. Patek Philippe were the first company to produce perpetual calendar chronographs in series, an achievement that no other manufacturer could match for almost half a century. The perpetual calendar chronograph was in many ways the complication that re-established and confirmed for the second half of the 20 th century Patek Philippe’s reputation as the greatest watch brand in the world. A reputation that is undimmed to the present day. These technically remarkable timepieces so closely linked to the fortunes of the company over the last 80 years, have become icons of ‘golden age’ mid-20 th century design.
One of the most useful watchmaking inventions of all time, the perpetual calendar is credited to the Englishman Thomas Mudge who made a perpetual calendar watch in 1762. The mechanism not only self-adjusts for the number of days in the month but also calculates the correct adjustment for the leap-years. Patek Philippe was unsurprisingly very early in using the perpetual calendar in wristwatches with the references 1518 and 1526 in 1941 and the 2499 in 1950.
Reference 1518
Since its launch in 1941, the reference 1518 has always been one of the most desired of all Patek Philippe’s complicated wristwatches. The 1518 and its companion reference 1526 were the first ever perpetual calendar wristwatches to be made in series by any manufacturer. In production from 1941 to 1954, the total output is a meagre 281 pieces. It is known in yellow and pink gold, as well few examples in steel. Its scarcity frustrated dozens of clients, as it was reserved for the most prominent Patek Philippe patrons such as Henry Graves Jr, the King of Jordan and the King of Egypt. The case design of the model underwent a subtle evolution over the years: the first examples featured the chronograph pushers to the centre of the band and the date correctors closer to the upper edge. Later, the pushers are found closer to the lower edge of the band, and the correctors are moved slightly down as well. Transitional models between the first and second case design present a thicker case body and thinner band, while later the case body is less prominent in favour of a more important bezel. Gold cases were made by Emile Vichet (case maker’s number 9, inscribed in a key). For 45 years, the reference 1518 and reference 2499 were equipped with calibre 13 Q (13 130 Q) a Valjoux ébauche, first upgraded and finished to the highest standards for that time, in Patek’s workshop, then modified under the dial, by Victorin Piguet workshops, to receive the perpetual calendar function.
Demand has always outstripped supply of the reference 1518, any examples supplied to lucky official Patek Philippe agents tended to only be offered to their most important and exacting clients. According to research, only 281 examples were made until 1954, the majority cased in yellow gold. The model was later replaced by the equally legendary reference 2499, also a perpetual calendar chronograph, but with a wider diameter and fluted lugs.
Literature:
The reference 1518 is illustrated in: Patek Philippe Wristwatches, Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, first edition p. 231 pl. 386, second edition p. 303 pl. 459 and in: Armbanduhren - 100 Jahre Entwicklungsgeschichte, Kahlert, Mühe, Brunner, second edition p. 127. It is also illustrated in: the Blue Book 3, by Eric Tortella, 2019 edition.
