Beschreibung:

FROM AN IMPORTANT SWISS COLLECTOR Patek Philippe Follow Ref. 2438/1 A highly important, very fine and extremely rare pink gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with center seconds, moon phases, screw back, Certificate, invoice and box 百達翡麗，型號2438/1，非常精細及極度罕有，18K玫瑰金腕錶，備萬年曆、旋入式後底蓋和月相顯示，約1959年製。附錶盒和原裝證書。 來源：瑞士 重要私人收藏 1959 37mm diameter Case, dial, movement and pin buckle signed
Manufacturer : Patek Philippe Year : 1959 Reference No : 2438/1 Movement No : 888'175 Case No : 2'619'214 Material : 18K pink gold Calibre : Manual, cal. 27 SC, 18 jewels, stamped twice with the Geneva seal Bracelet/Strap : Leather strap Clasp/Buckle : Patek Philippe 18K pink gold pin buckle Dimensions : 37mm diameter Signed : Case, dial, movement and pin buckle signed Accessories : Accompanied by Patek Philippe Certificat d'Origine et de Garantie dated April 4, 1970, envelope, original purchase invoice dated April 4, 1970, fitted presentation box and outer packaging. Furthermore delivered with Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1959 and its subsequent sale on April 4, 1970. Catalogue Essay The three decades stretching between 1940 and 1970 are considered the “golden age” of wrist horology. This is because enough time had passed since the inception of wristwatches to the general public (which happened during WWI) for the market to gather momentum and grow to the point of having enough clients to justify the high production costs involved with complicated timepieces. The advent of quartz watches and the consequent crisis will put an end to this idyllic period. During this time, Patek Philippe serially launched six perpetual calendar models: in the 1940s, reference 1526 and its chronographic counterpart reference 1518; in the 1950s, center seconds reference 2947 and its chronographic non-center seconds brethren reference 2499, and in the 1960s, automatic reference 3448. All these models are considered absolute masterpieces, grail watches in their own right, given the historical importance for the brand, extremely high quality, and very scarce production ranging from little more than 100 pieces (ref. 2497) to less than 600 pieces (reference 3448) In production from 1952 to 1963, it is the waterproof twin of reference 2497 and by far the most elusive serially produced perpetual calendar model made by the brand during that time. The reference is so rare that it hardly ever shows up at auction and it is not yet well known by the public at large. However, in the eyes of some high-end Patek Philippe collectors, it is considered possibly the most collectible of them all, not only in virtue of its rarity, but also of its aesthetics, movement and case design, especially the last two setting it well apart from other perpetual calendar models. In 1946, Patek Philippe launched the center-second calibre 27SC, considered now the best of its generation. The company then decided to create a perpetual calendar with moon phases version of it, and in 1952 cal. 27 SCQ was born. The importance of the movement for the company is underlined by the fact that all movements 27 SCQ made are sequentially numbered: from 888’000 to 888’179 - and thus the movement housed in the present watch is the fourth last to be made. This does not happen with any of the other perpetual calendar references of the time. With the exception of movement 888’000 - which was used for a unique piece - the movements were used in reference 2497 (about 115 examples), and indeed in reference 2438/1. Consequently, reference 2438 is the rarest Patek Philippe serially produced vintage perpetual calendar: its circa 65 pieces production makes it nearly twice as rare as reference 2497 (the second rarest model), and more than five times scarcer than reference 2499. Aesthetically speaking, the looks are virtually identical to those of reference 2497, which in turn is basically a "chronograph-less" version of reference 2499, hallowed without reserves as one of the most successful and inspired designs to ever bless the watchmaking industry. The case maker which executed this masterpiece is Wenger, one of the best case makers of the time, identified by the hallmark featuring the number 1 inside a key. Rarity however is only part of the appeal of the watch: the historical importance of the model in the history of the brand - and of watchmaking