The present watch is a Patek Philippe reference 2497 in rose gold made in 1954\u2014an exceedingly rare variant of one of the most important mid\u2011century perpetual calendars. Produced from 1951 to 1963, the 2497 (and its waterproof sister, reference 2438\/1) introduced the first\u2014and, for decades, the only\u2014sweep\u2011seconds perpetual calendar wristwatch available on the market. At its heart beats the caliber 27 SC Q: Patek Philippe\u2019s 12\u2019\u2019\u2019 in\u2011house 27 SC upgraded under\u2011dial with the maison\u2019s patented perpetual calendar mechanism developed by the Fils de Victorin Piguet ateliers. Approximately 180 such calibers were completed for references 2497 and 2438\/1 combined, yielding around 115 examples of the 2497 and roughly 65 of the 2438\/1.<\/p>\n
Rarity is central to the allure of the present configuration. Of the approximate 115 reference 2497 watches made, about 90 were in yellow gold, around 20 in pink (rose) gold, and only a handful in white gold and even less in platinum. From current records, approximately 20 in pink (rose) gold were produced, with only 13 seen or identified by the market\u2014of which the present watch is one. By comparison, 90 yellow\u2011gold pieces were made with 51 observed; white\u2011gold production is estimated at 4\u20136 with only 3 seen; and platinum at 2\u20133 with only 2 known. Early cases were three\u2011piece, 37.7 mm in diameter, with snap back and bezel. The first 40\u201350 pieces were made by Vichet (Geneva key 9) with flat backs; later watches adopted a bomb\u00e9 back by Wenger (Geneva key 1). After 1960, a small number of unsold 2497s were re\u2011cased and upgraded to 2438\/1.<\/p>\n
Dials for the 2497 were crafted by Stern Fr\u00e8res on gold plates, featuring applied gold hour markers, an engraved\u2011and\u2011enameled outer minute track, engraved\u2011and\u2011enameled signature, and date numerals encircling a blue champlev\u00e9\u2011enameled gold moon\u2011phase disc. Variations include lapidated applied indexes\u2014either the larger \u201cA\u201d bullet style (more commonly associated with ref. 2438\u20111) or shorter \u201cB\u201d rectangular forms\u2014adding further nuance for connoisseurs. The reference is thoroughly chronicled in the standard texts: Huber & Banbery\u2019s \u201cPatek Philippe Wristwatches\u201d (1998), pp. 284\u2013287, and the Patek Philippe Museum catalogue (2014, vol. 2), pp. 295\u2013296.<\/p>\n
A touchstone of Patek Philippe\u2019s golden age, the 2497 in rose gold unites technical firsts with sculptural casework and Stern Fr\u00e8res dial artistry. Its historical significance, elegant 37.7 mm presence, and extreme rarity\u2014one of approximately thirteen known in pink gold\u2014position the present 1954 example among the most coveted perpetual calendar wristwatches of the 20th century.<\/p>\n
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This particular timepiece watch is a delight to handle, in a very nice overall condition, the solid gold silvered dial is original and very well preserved, one feature to note is the date disks are in Portuguese of course hand engraved-enemelled as they should be.
\nThe back of the dial is marked with a hand engraved recall of the matching movement serial, and has a restoration engraving mark, most probably done by Stern Freres, on be- half of Patek Philippe during overhaul. The mounting rim position is right, as it was at the origin.
\nAll hour markers, pink gold, and the four hands are original and in good condition.<\/p>\n
Finally with regards to its whereabouts, some key dates of its \u201cpublic” appearances after its original sale in summer 1955 (as per the PP Extract from the Archives) the watch was sold at the Sotheby\u2019s 1995 auction in New York and stayed in a private collection until 2002, then it went to another private collection until 2021 date of sale by K2 Luxury to an important European collector.<\/p>\n
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Patek Philippe – Bio<\/strong><\/p>\n Patek Philippe & Co. was founded in 1839, located in Geneva and the Vall\u00e9e de Joux. It designs and manufactures timepieces and movements, including some of the most complicated mechanical watches. It is considered by many experts and aficionados to be one of the most prestigious watch manufacturers.
\nIn 1868, Patek Philippe made their first wristwatch, which was sold on November 13, 1876 to the Hungarian Countess.
\nIt is the last independent, family-owned Genevan watch manufacture with uninterrupted operating history spanning nearly 180 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n