PATEK PHILIPPE | BETA 21, REF 3597/2, LARGE YELLOW GOLD CUSHION-FORM BRACELET WATCH WITH DATE MADE IN 1974

During difficult times, companies are expected to think outside of the box, taking risks and implementing drastic change. The year 1969 holds such an important place in watchmaking history as it indeed saw the release of a new movement strain, with the release of the caliber Beta 21. This tremendous achievement was in fact the product of an unprecedented multi-brand cooperation, involving 20 manufacturers including Omega, Piaget or Rolex among others.

Following more than 5 years of research and development, the first two iterations of the Beta caliber were issued in 1966 and 1967 under the code names Beta-1 and -2. 

The accuracy potential of the quartz movement was demonstrated by the Beta-2's victory at the 1967 Concours Chronométrique International de Neuchatel. 

The Beta 21 caliber was released in 1969 and set to be produced in 6,000 examples. Despite its unparalleled accuracy of approximately 5 seconds per month, the caliber would suffer from short battery life and its use proved limited by its large 14 lines size. The highly contained overall production undeniably turned the Beta 21-equipped wristwatches into collectable testimonies of a difficult time for the industry, making them highly popular among collectors. 

The present reference 3597/2 was manufactured in 1974 and subsequently sold in December 1975. In this particular variant, the typical oversized yellow gold case blends elegantly with the integrated perforated bracelet and is further accentuated by a stunning two-tone gilt dial, while the case, dial and bracelet stand in excellent condition. This example ticks all the boxes a collector would wish for. The wristwatch underwent a service at Patek Philippe London in September 2019. and is offered with its original Certificate of Origin and booklet.  

It is estimated that approximately 50 examples of this configuration were ultimately manufactured by Patek Philippe, with less than 10 coming back to the auction market.