Patek Philippe watches always reached an enviable prices at auctions. Such one example, but even more special and rare due to fact is belonged to no one else than the watchmaker himself, Patek Philippe régleur (a highly skilled watchmaker) Jacques Golay has been sold last night at Antiquorum’s Geneva auction for CHF194,500 ($205,000)!
Jacques Golay’s wristwatch was finished in 1950’s, while he was working in the atelier of Fils de Victorin-Piguet, part of the Patek Philippe group of companies. It is an superb example of the steel reference 1463, with an asthmometer dial, and the only example to have appeared at auction to date. A letter from Golay’s son, Jules, detailing the watch’s interesting history was also included in the lot.
This is an exceptionally fine and unique watch,” said Julien Schaerer, Watch Expert and Managing Director, Antiquorum Geneva. “The uniqueness of the features alone makes this Patek Philippe ref. 1463 a treasure for any watch enthusiast, but the fact that it was made and worn by Jacques Golay, probably the most famous régleur of all time, makes it even more valuable.”
An exceptionally rare model featuring a round button chronograph, 30-minute register, respirations scale and a Patek Philippe stainless steel buckle, but there’s no Patek Philippe signature and number, due to fact the piece was made for watchmaker himself. The asthmometer scale gives the dial a very unusual and visually dramatic appearance, leaving a large blank space in the upper left-hand quarter.
“The ‘respirations’ or asthmometer dial is very rare in this reference,” said Evan Zimmermann, President and CEO of Antiquorum. “There’s only one other reference known with this dial – a pink gold example that was sold by Antiquorum, Geneva, October 4th, 2009.”
The régleurs, highly skilled watchmakers were the highest paid workers in the watch industry in that period, because success in the Observatory trials for watches conferred reputation and prestige on the brand and therefore greater commercial success. Jacques Golay was a famous and highly respected ‘régleur’, who was awarded in 1941 the Guillaume prize by obtaining the best accurate timekeeping between his watch and the Le Coultre & Cie tourbillon regulator N°34748.
