PATEK PHILIPPE. AN EXTREMELY FINE, RARE AND ATTRACTIVE 18K GOLD CHRONOGRAPH WRISTWATCH
SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, GENÈVE, REF. 3651, MOVEMENT NO. 863'448, CASE NO. 2'839'144, MOVEMENT MANUFACTURED IN 1944, ENCASED IN 1988

Lot Description
[p=18, null, left]Patek Philippe. An extremely fine, rare and attractive 18K gold chronograph wristwatch
Signed Patek Philippe, Genève, ref. 3651, movement no. 863'448, case no. 2'839'144, movement manufactured in 1944, encased in 1988
Cal. 13''' nickel-finished lever movement, 23 jewels micrometer regulator, silvered dial, applied baton numerals, outer Arabic five minute divisions and tachymetre scale, two subsidiary dials for constant seconds and 30 minutes register, circular case, enlarged flat bezel, screw back, two round chronograph buttons in the band, 18K gold Patek Philippe
buckle, case, dial and movement signed

35 mm. diam.


[/p]Special Notice
[p=18, null, left]Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

[/p]Pre-Lot Text
[p=18, null, left]PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTION

[/p]

With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with silvered dial, raised gold indexes and tachometer scale in 1944 and its subsequent sale on 8 October 1945. The extract further states that the original case was replaced with the current one during a servicing in the company's workshops in July 1988.
Reference 3651 is undeniably among Patek Philippe's least known and most mysterious models ever made, confirmed by the fact that over a period of more than twenty years only three examples of this ultra-rare chronograph have appeared on the market, including two offered in these salerooms:

Case no. 2'839'142: Christie's Geneva 15 November 2010, lot 109, sold for CHF243,000. Movement made in 1952, case changed during a servicing at Patek Philippe in 1988.
Case No. 2'839'143
Case No. 2'839'144: The present watch. Movement made in 1944, case changed during a servicing at Patek Philippe in 1988. Previously unknown to the market.

Even though reference 1463 is generally viewed as Patek Philippe's only screw back and round pusher simple chronograph wristwatch, reference 3651 clearly belongs into the same category. It is unknown when exactly its production was launched and how many examples were made. However since cases numbers 2'839'142 and 2'839'144 were both changed in 1988 in the workshops of Patek Philippe one can safely date the creation to the late 1980s, age of the revival of complicated mechanical timepieces. Whereas most manufacturers had only just begun reinvesting in skilled craftsmen and machines for the production of complex hand-wound watches, Patek Philippe had kept their talented master watchmakers and tools throughout the quartz years, proven by the existence of references 3448 and 2499. The latter two being perpetual calendar wristwatches it is a fact that no simple chronograph wristwatch had been in their catalogues since the late 1960s.

One may speculate about the reasons behind the creation of reference 3651 in such a small number, possibly a special demand by one of the firm's longstanding clients or a commercial initiative to offer a second "simple" chronograph model in a more modern looking waterproof case but reference 3651 is undeniably the logical successor of reference 1463 which had been in production for nearly three decades. As shown in references 3450 and 2499/100, the 1980s designs were distinguished by more massive and straightforward look, sapphire crystals replacing plexiglass. Since production of the "simple" 13 lignes movement had ceased decades earlier, Patek Philippe had to use movements of existing watches made in the 1940s and 50s, either provided by customers wishing to upgrade their chronographs or assembled with existing spare parts. As a consequence, the number of reference 3651 chronographs made must have been extremely low. Speculations suggest a total output ranging from as few as three examples to as many as twelve. For two reasons, the latter appears too high, starting with the completely unknown whereabouts of this supposed amount of watches, followed by the fact that the three examples having appeared to date feature succeeding case numbers. It would evidently be too much of a coincidence that the only three references 3651 having appeared in public bear consecutive case numbers, 2'839'142, 2'839'143 and 2'839'144. On the other hand one may suspect that with the appearance of the present watch, the last one of the series, the only three examples of reference 3651 ever made are now all accounted for.

The rarity of the present reference 3651 is further enhanced by its excellent overall condition. Consigned by a private collector and evidently hardly used, it impresses by the full proportions of its massive case and the sharp angles to bezel, lugs and screw back. The oxidation traces testify that it has spent a considerable amount of time locked away and unused. The dial has likewise never been subject to restoration, displaying a great shine and perfectly raised signatures and scales.

The combination of its extraordinary rarity, mysterious history, superb condition, private provenance and freshness to the market render this reference 3651 a "must have" for the collector of exceptional timepieces.

开拍之前，听说有人要出60万，吓死了

结果26落槌，连佣32多。

耐看

@schen @老表迷pp @chinese2 @5013
听听大家怎么评论

这么稀罕的PP古董计时，我觉得60万都不算贵，值。

连佣32万就是捡漏了。

经典计时，独有型号，而且壳型独特醒目，虽说不是最初的壳，但考虑3651的特殊情况，根据佳士得拍卖目录的描述，这一只的原装度和品相都可打99分。

热烈恭喜买家。:victory:

......又是熊爷吗？

另一只3651
Lot 109: Patek Philippe. A very fine and extremely rare 18K gold chronograph wristwatchImportant Watches by Christie'sNovember 15, 2010 Geneva, Switzerland
Sold

Description: Patek Philippe. A very fine and extremely rare 18K gold chronograph wristwatch
Signed Patek Philippe, Genève, ref. 3651, movement no. 868'306, case no. 2'839'142, movement manufactured in 1952, encased in 1988
Cal. 13''' nickel-finished lever movement, 23 jewels micrometer regulator, silvered dial, applied baton numerals, outer Arabic five minute divisions and tachymetre scale, two subsidiary dials for constant seconds and 30 minutes register, circular case, enlarged flat bezel, screw back, two round chronograph buttons in the band, 18K gold Patek Philippe buckle, case, dial and movement signed
35 mm. diam.
Notes: Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.
With Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with raised gold hour markers in 1952 and its subsequent sale on 4 December 1952. The Extract further states that the original case was replaced with the current one during a servicing in the company's workshops in 1988.

Even to thoroughbred collectors, reference 3651 is virtually unknown and provokes amazement when described to them as the "ultra rare round pusher Patek Philippe 1980s chronograph". Such situations come by no surprise since it has been for over two decades that no example of this reference has come to the public market.

In fact, scholarship and literature present reference 1463 as the only screw back and round pusher Patek Philippe simple chronograph. However, reference 3651 should be mentioned simultaneously. It is unclear when production started and how many pieces were ever made but research indicates that it was manufactured around 1985, at a time when references 3450 and 2499/100 were replaced by references 3940 and 3970 respectively. During that era, complicated mechanical watches were starting to enjoy their renaissance and most manufacturers were only about to once more invest in talent and machines for complex hand-wound watches. Patek Philippe, however, had carried through the "quartz decade" its gifted master watchmakers and tools, proven by the existence of references 3448 and 2499. As the latter were both perpetual calendar wristwatches, it is a consequence that no simple chronograph wristwatch had been in their catalogues since the late 1960s.

It appears that for their most discerning and loyal clientele, Patek Philippe had something to offer for those seeking to purchase a simple chronograph: reference 3651. In many ways this model was a logical successor of reference 1463 which had been in production for nearly three decades. Like references 3450 and 2499/100, the 1980s designs were less filigree, the cases more massive, plexiglass was replaced by sapphire crystals, and the case proportions became more straightforward. Interestingly, since production of the "simple" 13 lignes movement had ceased decades earlier, Patek Philippe had to use movements of existing watches made in the 1940s and 50s, either provided by customers wishing to upgrade their used chronographs or assembled with existing spare parts.

Given this highly unusual genesis it comes by hardly any surprise that production numbers were extremely low. Specialists speculate that the total production run for this model could be as little as three pieces only or as much as twelve. The latter sounds a little too generous for two reasons, one being the completely unknown whereabouts of this suspected quantity, and two the sheer coincidence that the only other known example offered at auction was case number 2'839'143, the succeeding number to the present watch. It does not need vast fantasy and extraordinary skills in probability calculation to swiftly conclude that it would be too much of a coincidence that the only two references 3651 to return to the auction market happen to have consecutive case numbers.

The present watch displays virtually no signs of wear but instead the very popular oxidation proving its lack of use. The dial, free of restoration, impresses with all signatures and scales in perfectly raised hard enamel. The movement appears to have never been disassembled since leaving Patek Philippe's workshops in the 1980s.

With its winning look, utter rarity, "as good as it can get" condition and complete freshness to the auction market, the present reference 3651 would immediately take a prominent position in any international watch collection.

表带很有古老的味道

价格很震撼