The present watch, originally sold at the Patek Philippe 150th anniversary auction in Geneva in 1989, lot 189, is one of the most intriguing and remarkable examples of the legendary automatic reference 2526 to be offered at auction. The enamel dial made by Stern Frères and punched with their number 93 363 (93 being the code for Patek Philippe, 363 being the code for the dial type) can best be described as ‘experimental’ or a ‘prototype’.
The standard enamel dials of the reference 2526 follow a well-documented progression throughout the period of production:
- First series: enamel dial and riveted indexes. The dial presents flared holes under each index in order to allow for their setting.
- Second series: enamel dials with the numerals glued to the surface. The dial presents only two flared holes for the hands.
The dial of Patek Philippe movement no. 762’975 / case no. 694’742
Analysis of the present dial by leading Patek Philippe scholars concludes that it is undoubtedly the work of Stern Frères, and that is has been made as either a ‘test’ piece or ‘prototype’ for a design that did not enter production.
When examined from the back, the metal dial plate is drilled with holes for riveted indexes and is therefore of ‘First Series’ type. Indeed, the Extract from the Archives states ‘raised gold hour-markers’. However, the dial plate has been hard enamelled with the cream-coloured enamel typical of reference 2526, so that the enamel surface entirely covers the drilled index holes both from the front and crucially also from the back, the counter-enamel completely covering the holes. The holes for the hands and seconds hand exhibits the flaring of the enamel typical of the reference.
The evidence suggests that the dial was intentionally made in this way using an already drilled but unused earlier ‘First Series’ (1953-55) dial blank. The holes were never drilled through the enamel and raised gold indexes were never fitted, instead, the present gilt Breguet numerals were painted. Furthermore, upon close examination of the painted gilt Breguet numerals, the short, painted lines which were used by the dial maker as a visual guide when affixing applied indexes can clearly be seen. This gives a fascinating insight into the techniques of production of reference 2526 enamel dials.
Research shows that only four other examples of reference 2526 with Breguet numerals are known publicly, including one formerly in Andy Warhol's watch collection. However, all those watches have applied numerals. The present watch would therefore appear to be a unique variation among them, a collector's watch of immense interest.
We are grateful to Eric Tortella for his assistance and study in researching this watch.
Reference 2526
Reference 2526 is amongst the most elegant and distinguished vintage watches ever made. The model takes a historically relevant role in the establishment of Patek Philippe's fame to be the premier manufacturer of the world's finest wristwatches.
Introduced into the market in 1952, reference 2526 was the company’s first ever self-winding or automatic watch. The model features the legendary calibre 12-600 AT which was granted Swiss patent No. 289758 in 1953 for "a self-winding mechanism for a wristwatch movement using the energy supplied by a rotary mass causing an eccentric part to transmit a swinging movement to an organ of the mechanism". This state-of-the-art calibre with the main spring wound through the oscillating movements of a massive 18K gold engine-turned rotor is seen by many as the most lavishly finished automatic movement ever conceived by any manufacturer. The cases of the reference 2526 were made by the Geneva master casemaker F. Baumgartner, whose punch mark of number 2 in a key is found inside the back.
Ref. 2526 is illustrated in: Patek Philippe Wristwatches, Huber & Banbery, 1998 edition, pp. 216-217, calibre 12 600 AT detailed views p. 214, and in Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe - Volume II, pp. 244-246.
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