Patek Philippe - The Watch Auction: One Geneva Saturday, May 9, 2015 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
    Year: Enamel Painting completed in 1996, movement manufactured in 2006 and sold in May 2008
    Reference No: 974/2J
    Movement No: 1’945’096
    Case No: 2’963’326
    Model Name: "Souvenirs de Mortefontaine"
    Material: 18k yellow gold and enamel
    Calibre: Manual, 1-17/145
    Signed: Movement, case and dial signed Patek Philippe, enamel painting signed S. Rohr, 1996
    Accessories: Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin dated May 27th 2008, portfolio photographs, fitted presentation box and outer packaging
    Literature: For other examples of Suzanne Rohr enamels, please see Patek Philippe Musuem, Patek Philippe Watches - Volume II, pages 380 to 381

  • Catalogue Essay

    Souvenirs de Mortefontaine, painted in 1864 by Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, is a scene of tranquillity depicting a woman and children quietly enjoying at the shores of a lake. Amongst scholars it is considered one of his masterpieces and most poetic works. Corot repeatedly visited Mortefontaine, a small village in northern France, during the 1850s to study the effect of light and reflection on water. Souvenirs de Mortefontaine was purchased the year it was painted directly from Corot for the French state and, after hanging at Fontainebleau until 1889, it was transferred to the Louvre where it can be admired today.Suzanne Rohr is broadly considered one of, if not the most skilled miniature enameller and reserved her skills exclusively to Patek Philippe. In 2007 she celebrated 40 years of faithful collaboration with the venerable Geneva manufacture. Her works are of unequalled depth and, no matter if the theme is a portrait, landscape or perfect reproduction of an impressionist painting, her talent brings colours, minute details and moods into perfect harmony. The results are simply stunning miniatures and must be considered important works of art.

  • Artist Biography

    Patek Philippe

    Swiss • 1839

    Since its founding in 1839, this famous Geneva-based firm has been surprising its clientele with superbly crafted timepieces fitted with watchmaking's most prestigious complications. Traditional and conservative designs are found across Patek Philippe's watches made throughout their history — the utmost in understated elegance.

    Well-known for the Graves Supercomplication — a highly complicated pocket watch that was the world’s most complicated watch for 50 years — this family-owned brand has earned a reputation of excellence around the world. Patek's complicated vintage watches hold the highest number of world records for results achieved at auction compared with any other brand. For collectors, key models include the reference 1518, the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, and its successor, the reference 2499. Other famous models include perpetual calendars such as the ref. 1526, ref. 3448 and 3450, chronographs such as the reference 130, 530 and 1463, as well as reference 1436 and 1563 split seconds chronographs. Patek is also well-known for their classically styled, time-only "Calatrava" dress watches, and the "Nautilus," an iconic luxury sports watch first introduced in 1976 as the reference 3700 that is still in production today.

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Property from an Important Collector

133

Ref. 974/2J
An exceptional and unique openface yellow gold keyless lever watch with enamel miniature painted by Suzanne Rohr, after an 1864 painting by Jean-Baptise Camille Corot

Enamel Painting completed in 1996, movement manufactured in 2006 and sold in May 2008
Movement, case and dial signed Patek Philippe, enamel painting signed S. Rohr, 1996

Estimate
CHF120,000 - 180,000 

Sold for CHF293,000

Contact Specialist
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The Watch Auction: One

Geneva Auction 10 May 2015 6:30pm