Patek Philippe

Reference 1436 stands as Patek Philippe's first split-seconds chronograph wristwatch produced in series. Launched in 1938, this model served as a precise "tool watch" for timing horse and automobile races, as well as scientific experiments. Considered one of the firm's finest creations, it boasts a rattrapante chronograph mechanism encased within a compact 33-millimeter case. Approximately 140 examples of this model were made, predominantly in yellow gold. Pink gold versions were exceedingly rare, with less than 9 publicly known examples surviving, and even fewer featuring a pink dial like the present watch. This rarity, combined with its infrequent appearance on the market, has elevated the reference to mythical status.

The pink gold case, crafted by master casemaker Emile Vichet, bears his mark—a number 9 within a key—punched inside the caseback. Equipped with the caliber 13 130 CCR, meticulously finished by Victorian Piguet, the watch's true beauty lies in its extraordinary pink dial confirmed by the Extract from the Archives. It features the correct pre-1948 ‘long’ Patek Philippe & Co. Genève signature, retaining both its comma and accent, along with applied pink gold Roman and baton hour indexes and feuille hands.

The elegant reference 1436, with its high-quality and intricate movement, undoubtedly represents a pinnacle in the evolution of technical wristwatches—a domain in which Patek Philippe has been a leader for generations.