Cased in stainless steel and pink gold, this reference 570 is truly astonishing. Boasting 36.5 mm in diameter, it exhibits full, thick lugs, and incredible proportions. The flat, cylindrical pink gold bezel retains sharp definition. The contrasting brushed and satin finishes enable the beholder to easily imagine how the watch originally left the Patek Philippe workshops in 1942. To date, no more than a handful of stainless steel and pink gold combination reference 570s have appeared on the market.
The watch is furthermore fitted with an exquisite black lacquer dial, which is fortuitously confirmed by the Extract from the Archives. The gilt text shines through beautifully, the copper tone adding depth and charisma to the dial. Underneath the hands is the signature of Eberhard Milan, the prestigious Italian retailer has retailed some of the most impressive watches of the 20th century.
Reference 570 was Patek Philippe's very first "large" Calatrava model that was produced in a series. At the time of production, the reference was the largest time-only wristwatch produced by the firm. Manufactured from 1938 to 1972, the model was cased predominantly in yellow gold, and rarely in pink gold, white gold, stainless steel and platinum. The reference featured a multitude of dial variations. While some were fitted with Breguet numerals, others were two-tone in design.
Despite the myriad of design variations available, no other reference 570, to the best of our knowledge, features the present characteristics. As such, this watch not only includes every exclusive feature that any collector craves, it is also possibly unique, distinguishing it beyond any of its peers.
This watch formerly belonged in the collection of Gordon Bethune. The CEO of Continental Airlines from 1994 until his retirement at the end of 2004, Bethune is also a well-known watch collector. An avid aviator himself, Bethune has led a long, storied life, beginning his aviation career in the U.S. Navy at the age of 16 by fixing electronic and mechanical systems on jet planes. After 20 years, he retired as a Naval Lieutenant.
In 2012, Bethune pledged 50 of his best watches for auction, the present watch being one of the key highlights in the sale, achieving 518,500 USD - a record price for any reference 570 at the time.