Lot 144

Patek Philippe

An extremely rare vintage Geneva wristwatch - second generation of reference 2526, with enamel dial and applied gold hour markers, with later box and Patek Philippe extract from the archives

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Reference 2526 is a highly appealing model and much sought-after by collectors. The first self-winding wristwatch model with the caliber 12'''-600 AT was launched by Patek Philippe in 1953, starting at serial number 760'000. It is assumed that Patek Philippe produced the Ref. 2526 in 580 pieces, most of them with an enamel dial.
Four generations of this model have evolved as follows: - 1st generation: domed screw back, synthetic beige enamel dial, applied indexes. The enamel is flared around the index holes and those holding the central hands and the subsidiary seconds hand. - 2nd generation - like the present model: domed screw back, synthetic beige enamel dial, applied indexes which are inlaid in the enamel surface; the enamel is flared around the holes holding the central hands and the subsidiary seconds hand. Only some very few watches with a black dial and even fewer with Breguet numerals were produced in this particular series. - 3rd generation: identical to the 2nd generation, but with an almost flat screw back. Very few examples of this series were produced with a black dial - and only one with a black dial and Breguet numerals is known to date. - 4th generation: practically flat screw back, synthetic beige enamel dial, applied luminescent indexes which are inlaid in the enamel surface; the enamel is flared around the holes holding the central hands and the subsidiary seconds hand.