Form watch: an absolute rarity, presumably the only known Patek Philippe

Ca. 48 x 27 mm, 18K gold, blue enamel and diamonds set in silver, upper section with hinged flacon clasp, secret opening button for the lid concealed in one of the chain eyelets, numbered No. 1, opens on both sides, heart-shaped cylinder movement with key winding, signed beneath the dial, No. 9608, screw-fixed enamel dial, gold hands, original gold/enamel chatelaine with key and signet ring bearing the monogram CJ, with the movement intact, and some restoration to the enamel. The watch is a museum-quality rarity and is likely to be one of a kind. The number 1 also suggests this. We are not aware of any other flacon by Patek Philippe. The case maker is also thought to be from Geneva. The extract from the archives confirms the heart-shaped movement, manufactured in 1854. In many enamel flacon watches, the movement manufacturer and the case maker were different companies. In most cases, the movements were French or from Vienna; extremely rarely, they were from Geneva, like the prominent case makers. According to our research, there are around 10 known Patek Philippe shaped watches with heart-shaped movements, all dating from the 1850s; however, none of them was a flacon.

Estimate:£16,139.17

View all items fromCortrie Uhren- und SchmuckauktionorJewellery & Gems