![](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1" height="3543px" width="3543px"></svg>)
Everything You Need to Know About Vintage Patek Philippe
Among collectibles in watchmaking, little beats vintage Patek Philippe watches. Read on for a closer look at watchmaker’s history of unparalleled innovation and iconic design.
A mong the many rare and exciting items set to go under the hammer at Important Watches I this season is a fascinating assortment of watches from Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin, Richard Mille, and many others, and naturally, plenty of amazing watches from Patek Philippe.
Read on as we explore the history and appeal of vintage Patek Philippe watches, taking a look at some fascinating timepieces which have helped gain the watchmaker so much renown in the prestigious world of collecting.
Patek Philippe: A Brief History of Innovation
First established in 1839, Patek Philippe is among one of the world’s oldest and most important watchmakers, with arguably only one other brand – Rolex – consistently enjoying the same voracious interest from esteemed collectors for models both vintage and modern.
In its early years, the brand gained renown for its mechanical innovations, debuting its first quarter repeating watch in the year of its launch, and then going on to develop a keyless winding and hand-setting system in the 1840s alongside the introduction of a true minute repeater. Towards the end of the century, the brand was making incredible strides in the accuracy and complexity of its movements, securing notable patents for a precision regulator and the perpetual calendar mechanism.
The vast majority of these developments were showcased through the pocket watches retailed by the brand at the time, the legacy of which continues in models like the Reference 881/00, a hunting case perpetual calendar minute repeating watch with equation of time and moon phases from 1982, retailed by Beyer, the world’s oldest watch retailer.
Throughout the first half of the 20th century, these technological breakthroughs continued, with the brand introducing split-second chronographs, perpetual calendars, and what was then the world’s most complicated timepiece: the “Graves” Supercomplication pocket watch, No. 198.385. Throughout the second half of the century, the watchmaker introduced the first all-electronic clock, secured patents for new forms of travel watches, and then went on to introduce the first annual calendar watch before the turn of the millennium.
In this vein, Sotheby’s highlights a fine example of the Patek Philippe Reference 2597 Travel Time from 1961, which, as set out its own 1958-secured patents, allows the wearer to quickly adjust the hour hand in one-hour increments to quickly change timezones. The reference was first introduced in 1958 and was discontinued in 1977. Also in the sale is a Reference 2526 platinum wristwatch with enamel dial from 1954. Retailed by Serpico Y Laino, the reference is the first self-winding wristwatch made by Patek Philippe.
From its earliest years, these major developments in horology not only transformed the marketplace in which Patek Philippe competed, but helped firmly establish the watchmaker as the go-to brand within it. As such, the watchmaker naturally became a favorite of royals and the wealthy, for both regular production and high commission timepieces, many of whom came to see the brand as representing the pinnacle of refined mechanical watchmaking.
A Legacy of Iconic Design
Leading technological advancements alone, however, were not the only source of Patek Philippe’s vintage or present-day success. This is particularly true in the modern age, where fine watchmaking at the highest echelons tends towards romantic sentiments of mechanical luxury rather than a desire for highly accurate or hardy timekeeping. The other primary source of the brand’s sweeping and lasting success is iconic design, of which Patek Philippe has had great success and garnered a growing legion of admiring clients and fans.
In the years prior to its acquisition by the now legendary Stern family, Patek Philippe had already developed an almost 100-year legacy of producing beautiful, technologically leading timepieces. From a design standpoint, the historic catalogue – which was still primarily composed of pocket watches at the start of the 1900s – was clearly a product of its time. The watches within it made use of 19th and early 20th century standard forms and motifs, like spade-style hands and Breguet numerals – with most exuding a gilded age elegance that prioritised a unique sense of baroque aestheticism.
In 1932, with the Stern family now firmly at the helm and forward-looking design influences at hand, the brand began a new era in earnest. That same year Patek Philippe introduced the first Calatrava in the Reference 96. That watch, with its distinct minimalist design, round case, and refined balance of subtlety with precious metal options, soon became a staple for the watchmaker.
The Calatrava series has since been widely deemed one of the most iconic watch series of all time, encompassing a diverse range of watches unified by subtlety, refinement, and time-only presentation. Important Watches I will showcase several interesting models which highlight this legacy, including a Reference 96 from 1942.
From the 1930s onward the legacy of now-cherished design continued, with Patek Philippe launching the Golden Ellipse line with its “golden ratio” inspirations in 1968, followed by the Nautilus and its famed Gerald Genta collaborative design in 1976, and the decidedly modern Aquanaut sports watch in 1997.
Along the way, the brand has built out its variously named and loosely collected “Complications” and “Grand Complications” families, which contain an assortment of now-iconic designs including chronographs, perpetual calendars, worldtimers, and many other watches among their numerous references, such as a rare yellow gold example of the Reference 530 chronograph, which will be showcased in the auction.
While varied in their iterations, functionalities, and many reference numbers, many watches within the brand’s vintage Stern-era catalogue have gone on to become some of the most desirable timepieces in the world of modern collecting. Their success goes so far as to support sustained interest in some lesser known forms from the brand, among them including the historical Gondolo, or even the modern Twenty~4.
These collections and designs in their vein, while generally not nearly as popular as references from the Calatrava or Nautilus line, nonetheless speak to interested collectors for both their brand association and design pedigree.
Explore Vintage Patek Philippe at Sotheby’s
In addition to its lengthy history of innovation and well-received designs, there are certainly plenty of other aspects which drive interest in vintage Patek Philippe watches, from the longstanding exclusivity of the brand’s watches and the refinement of the brand’s historic finishing techniques, to the stories of many notable collectors who have worn the brand’s timepieces through the years.
Important Watches I this season will allow interested collectors to explore Patek Philippe’s legacy and appeal even deeper, providing an opportunity to go hands-on to experience these mechanical pieces of the famed watchmaker’s history. Further, the auction presents a unique opportunity for collectors to not only learn and enjoy, but also to acquire some of the most sought-after vintage Patek Philippe watches, with each piece representing its own unique blend of history, innovation, and iconic design.
