24,725 CHF
Patek Philippe & Cie, Genève, No. 48231, case No. 48231, circa 1878, made for Cuban market.Very fine and rare 18K gold, two-train watch with independent dead seconds and unusual dial, accompanied by a fitted box. Silver, black Roman numerals (now faded), outer applied gold floral decoration, center with finely engraved floral decoration, snap-on fit. Notes The watch incorporates Adrien Philippe’s two patents regarding tandem winding. The first one for 'free', or 'slipping' mainspring, patented on June 16, 1863 in France, and the second, patented ten years after this watch was made, for winding two mainsprings with one crown, Swiss patent No. 1017 of May 23, 1889. This is not the only idea that Philippe waited for years to patent - his final keyless winding system was patented also years after it was invented and employed in Patek Philippe watches.The other unusual feature of this watch is its dial. Patek Philippe used multicolor elaborate dials extremely rarely.A virtually identical movement, but dating from much later (No. 174021), is illustrated in Patek Philippe, Genève, by MARTIN HUBER and ALAN BANBERY edited by Patek Philippe S.A., Geneva, 1993, p.195.
Auctioneer:
Antiquorum
Date:
2000-10-15
