Details
MANUFACTURED IN: 1977
CASE MATERIAL: 18K gold
CASE SIZE: 36 mm. wide
BRACELET: 18K gold
BRACELET SIZE: Approx. 190 mm. overall length
DIAL: Gilt
MOVEMENT: Automatic
FUNCTIONS: Date
CALIBER: 28-255 C
WITH: 18K gold Patek Philippe integral bracelet and Extract from the Archives confirming production of present watch with gilded dial, yellow gold indexes and yellow gold bracelet in 1977 and its subsequent sale on 14 July 1978
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Sabine Kegel
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Lot Essay

The present "Grande Ellipse" by Patek Philippe is a well preserved and rare example of this legendary reference, featuring the signature of Patek Philippe’s celebrated retailer Beyer to the lower half of the soleil-finished gilt dial. Both dial colour and the herring-bone textured gold bracelet are confirmed by the Extract from the Archives. To the best of our knowledge it has never been offered in public before.

Reference 3604, the Grande Ellipse, was manufactured only for a short period between about 1971 and 1980. Few examples were made, mostly in yellow or pink gold, with different dial and bracelet styles.

Interestingly, it shares the same movement as Patek Philippe’s celebrated Jumbo Nautilus ref. 3700, the ultra-thin cal. 28-255 C.

Chronometrie Beyer
The partnership between Patek Philippe and Beyer Chronometrie dates back to the Geneva-based manufacturer's earliest years. It is the longest-standing relationship forged by either company – and, since the Stern family took over Patek Philippe in 1932, one of the most personal: the two have always been connected by more than just business. And so Beyer Chronometrie – and Zurich – was awarded the honour in July 2011 of opening the first (and to-date only) retailer-managed Patek Philippe Boutique in Switzerland. A five-strong team ensures that nothing is left to chance in creating an atmosphere of sophistication.

Patek Philippe and Beyer have harboured the desire to jointly operate a boutique in Zurich for many years. Already two generations earlier, Henry Stern and Theodor Beyer had nurtured this dream, which came true in 2011. The Geneva-based manufacture was founded in 1839, and Beyer has been selling these top-quality timepieces since around 1842. The collaboration between the two companies has been very intensive from the start. In 1880, Adelrich Beyer was apprenticed to Patek Philippe and also met his future wife there. In turn, the present-day CEO of Patek Philippe, Thierry Stern, spent time at Beyer to gain some practical experience.

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