Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
Year: 1953
Reference No: 2508
Movement No: 702'956
Case No: 677'404
Material: 18K yellow gold
Calibre: Manual, cal. 27SC, 18 jewels; stamped HOX
Bracelet/Strap: Crocodile
Clasp/Buckle: 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe pin buckle
Dimensions: 35.5mm Diameter
Signed: Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed.
Accessories: Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with raised yellow gold indexes and radium in 1953 and its subsequent sale on August 27th, 1954.
Catalogue Essay
Launched in 1951, at 35.5mm, reference 2508 was quite a large timepiece for the time, when typical gentlemen’s wristwatches measured a mere 33mm diameter. The model was intended for a more intensive and professional use than the usual Patek Philippe dress watch, even featuring a screw-down case back, enabling the watch to be water resistant - a feature found on a small minority of vintage Patek Philippe’s production. Reference 2508 most notably features center seconds, powered by the calibre 27SC (SC for Secondes au Centre), one of the most appreciated vintage, manually-wound, center seconds calibers made by any manufacturer. The caliber 27SC also serves the base for the movements used in some of the most hallowed complicated Patek Philippe vintage models such as the reference 2497. The Taubert-sourced case features the gently downturned and curvaceous lugs seen on the venerable reference 1463.

Since watch collecting came into vogue in the 1980s, collectors have competed passionately for the rarest and best-preserved iterations of these oversized Calatravas with center seconds, such as the present 2508, the reference 570, and the reference 565, with a case also produced by Taubert. The consignor of the present lot is himself a veteran collector of vintage wristwatches, and has time and time again found himself captured by the very best examples of these most renowned Calatravas. The present example with luminous dial features a most-likely unpolished case, with crisp hallmark to the lugs and caseband, and a further sharp “18K” stamp to the outer case rim, indicating import to the United States – a fact further underscored by the HOX import code on the movement. The state of preservation of the dial echoes that of the case, with beautiful raised hard enamel printing perfectly preserved. A small area of the dial has taken on a slightly darker tone beneath where the hands were, indicating that the watch remained unused for a long period of time. Fresh-to-the-market, it is the 22nd example of a yellow gold 2508 with luminous dial to be identified.
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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