Patek Philippe - The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI Geneva Saturday, November 5, 2022 | Phillips
  • Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
    Year: 1940
    Reference No: 1436
    Movement No: 862'423
    Case No: 623'832
    Material: 18K pink gold
    Calibre: Manual, cal. 13''', 25 jewels, stamped with the Geneva Seal
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: 18K pink gold Patek Philippe pin buckle
    Dimensions: 33mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with champagne-colored dial, pink gold markers and tachometer scale in 1940 and its subsequent sale on August 19, 1941. Furthermore delivered with Habsburg, Feldman Certificate of Authenticity dated October 15, 1989.

  • Catalogue Essay

    Reference 1436 is one of the most elegant, rare, important and collectible vintage Patek Philippe models. Shortly after the launch of the chronograph reference 130 in 1934, the company notice that a split-second version had a potential market. Indeed, the “rattrappante” mechanism was particularly useful for technical purposes, such as timing horse, automobile races, as well measuring scientific experiments.

Thus, in 1938 the firm introduced ref. 1436, to the day considered one of the most refined models ever produced by the firm. Not only it represents an ineffable merging of design and technical proficiency, it is furthermore one of the scarcest models made by the firm. Given the difficulty of assembling a split-second movement, research suggests that the total output for the model is approximately 140 examples, produced throughout the reference's approximate 33 years of manufacture. That means an average of 4 watches per year. This is an exceedingly limited
    number, even by the production standards of the mid-to-late 20th century.

    If any 1436 is a very rare bird - and a jewel in any collection - pink gold examples, as it often happens with Patek Philippe vintage models, are in a league of their own. Research confirms that so far only 8 examples of this exotic variation are known.

    To own one of the 8 pink gold 1436 is considered by some one of the crowning achievements of their collecting career, however, as incredible as it sounds, the present piece is a tall step above a “standard” pink gold 1436. It in fact bears an incredibly unusual champagne dial. Incredibly attractive but nearly inexplicable on a pink gold watch (in fact this is one of the extremely scarce vintage PP watches, if not the only one, to bear such a combination), the first impression of the Phillips office was that this was a very attractive but later dial. This however turned out to be the complete opposite of the truth, as the Extract from the Archives incredibly confirms that the watch was born exactly in this configuration.

    Such pink case/champagne dial configuration - not virtually unique in the entire panorama of vintage Patek pieces, but furthermore fully confirmed buy the company - makes the present piece one of the most collectible, unusual and fascinating chronograph pieces ever produced by the firm.

    Last appeared - of course in this very configuration - on the public market in 1989, the watch has resided in the same collection for the past 33 years. In fact, it is also accompanied by the 1989 Habsburg, Feldman (the auction house who sold it) certificate bearing a period picture of the watch, and an “estimate” of 380’000 CHF, most likely a rounding up of the sale result of 358’250 CHF - a truly outstanding price for the time, highlighting how this unique example of 1436 was recognised to be an “ultimate” piece already back then.

  • 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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Ref. 1436
A so far unique, early, extremely collectible and highly refined pink gold split-second chronograph wristwatch with champagne dial

1940
33mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement and buckle signed

Estimate
CHF200,000 - 400,000 
€206,000-412,000
$200,000-401,000

Sold for CHF226,800

Contact Specialist

Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Watches, Continental Europe and the Middle East
+41 22 317 81 81
AGhotbi@phillips.com
 

Tiffany To
Head of Sale, Geneva
+41 22 317 96 63
TiffanyTo@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: XVI

Geneva Auction 5 - 6 November 2022