A Rare 18 Karat Gold Open-Face World Time Watch, Patek Philippe

the circular dial with applied Roman numeral and dot indexes, the recessed intermediate portion indicating 24 hours with diurnal and nocturnal indication, the raised outer portion listing 41 world cities, gross weight approximately 62 dwts, the movement signed Patek Philippe, numbered 930541, caseback numbered 642703, manual movement adjusted to three temperatures and five positions.

Movement running at time of cataloguing, however it was not tested for the accuracy of time and may need service at the buyer's discretion. Dial in very good condition with a slight patina to the edges, spotting to the center disc. Case in very good condition with very light scratches overall, overall oxidized and not polished. Movement in overall very good condition with slight loss to the plating and with some light scratches. Please see Important Notice Regarding Condition of Watches on page 253 of the catalogue.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion. Illustrations in the catalogue may not be actual size. Prospective purchasers are reminded that, unless the catalogue description specifically states that a stone is natural, we have assumed that some form of treatment may have been used and that such treatment may not be permanent. Our presale estimates reflect this assumption.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The 'Heures Universelles' function, designed and implemented by watchmaker Louis Cottier, is operated via the bezel, a mechanism shared by this model, Ref. 605, and the wristwatch Ref. 1415. By rotating the bezel so that the home city is at the 12:00 position and setting the watch to the local time zone, the recessed 24-hour indication adjusts automatically so that one can see the current time in 41 world cities. Because the case, dial and movement are all integral to the technical function of the watch, Louis Cottier supervised the production of each element.

Ref. 605 was created in fewer than one hundred examples in total, with production commencing in 1937 and continuing for nearly thirty years. Examples were available in yellow and pink gold, with dial color and layout variations. 

It is interesting to note that the present example, like many of Cottier's inventions, lists London and Paris on the same time zone, Greenwich Mean Time. On June 15th, 1940, Paris converted to Central European time due to the war. For many years, it was thought that Paris would eventually revert back to GMT, and there are Patek Philippe 'Heures Universelles' watches and wristwatches from as late as the 1970s which still list Paris and London on the same time zone.