These pendant balls are more common than other Patek Philippe form pieces of the time, seen in mid-1860s, and with additional orders taking place after the 1878 Paris Exhibition [see Sotheby’s Catalogue Note].
If you own or know of others, please let me know.
Discussion can be found in Tellier, A., Timepieces for Royalty Exhibition Catalogue, 1850-1910 by Patek Philippe, p. 169-170 (via Sotheby’s)
Movement number: 30239
Unsigned, with single number (differing case and movement numbers did not begin until ~1875)
Manufacture date: 1866 per Extract
Calibre: 8” bezel-wound jewelled gilt movement with cylinder escapement
Material: 18k yellow gold, diamonds, blue enamel
Dimensions: 22mm
Sale date: June 22, 1866
Last public sale: Sotheby’s London, 8 March 2016
Last public sale price: Passed [on estimate of 9,000-12,000 GBP]
Prior public sale: Sotheby’s New York, 28 April 2009
Prior public sale price: USD 31,250
Comments: Patek Philippe fitted helmet-form presentation box and spare original crystal. The winding mechanism is activated by turning one hemisphere of the watch. I have not seen any earlier examples that wind in this manner.
Movement number: 30507
Case number: 30507
Manufacture date: c. 1867 (assumed per Extract as portion of Extract image shown in Lot)
Calibre: 8” bezel-wound cylinder escapement, ring balance
Material: 18k gold, applied decor in the shape of leather straps with independent non-welded buckles made of gold and silver, enamel dial
Dimensions: 24mm
Sale date: Unknown
Last public sale: Dr. Crott, Mannheim, May 6, 2017
Last public sale price: Passed [on estimate of 19,000 – 25,000 Euro]
Movement number: 31831
Manufacture date: 1867
Dial: signed ‘PATENT’
Calibre: 8” cylinder escapement
Material: 18k gold
Dimensions: 21.5mm as measured
Sale date: November 28, 1868 per Extract
Last public sale: eBay, January 2022
Last public sale price: asking price of 12,000 GBP
Source: ebay @antiquoholics
Movement number: 31877
Manufacture date: c. 1867 [shows as “c.” in catalog although Extract was included]
Dial: signed ‘PATENT’
Calibre: 8” (not seen, but also signed ‘PATENT’ per auction text)
Material: gold
Dimensions: 22mm
Sale date: November 19th, 1867 per Extract
Last public sale: Dr.Crott, Frankfurt, November 12, 2016
Last public sale price: unknown [estimate of 22,000 – 35,000 Euro]
Movement number: 38423
Manufacture date: c. 1870
Calibre: 8”
Material: 18k gold, enamel
Dimensions: 21mm
Sale date: June 26, 1871
Last public sale: Dr.Crott, Frankfurt, May 15, 2015
Last public sale price: 8,500 Euro
Movement number: 39727
Case number: 39727
Manufacture date: 1871 per Extract
Calibre: 8” bezel-wound jewelled gilt movement with cylinder escapement
Material: 18k yellow gold, blue enamel
Dimensions: 22mm
Last public sale: Christie’s Geneva May 13, 2005
Last public sale price: CHF 30,000
Movement number: 81038
Manufacture date: c. 1870
Calibre: unknown
Material: Yellow gold, enamel dial
Dimensions: 28mm
Last public sale: Antiquorum, Monaco, July 13, 2024
Last public sale price: TBD
Patek Philippe Boule de Geneve: Movement No. 81038
Movement number: 81074
Manufacture date: 1871 per Extract
Calibre: 8” bezel-wound jewelled gilt movement with cylinder escapement
Material: 18k yellow gold, blue enamel
Dimensions: 18mm
Last public sale: Skinner, Boston, September 15, 2009
Last public sale price: USD 2,370
Movement number: 87414
Manufacture date: c. 1895
Calibre: 15 jewels, straight line lever escapement, cut bimetallic balance, Breguet balance spring
Material: 18k gold, enamel
Dimensions: 17mm
Last public sale: Antiquorum, Geneva, Apr 10, 1994
Last public sale price: 7,475 CHF (based upon it’s sale as Lot 374, with no result shown for Lot 374, but likely Lot 1 in this results listing is actually Lot 152 as it was the second day of the sale)
The following is technically more of a pendant watch in the shape of a bell, though given the center “ball” inside the bell case, I am including it in this section as well.
Movement number: 97871
Manufacture date: December 6, 1897 (noted as start of production)
Calibre: unknown; 7 lignes, 10 jewels, cylinder escapement
Material: 18k gold and 935 silver, enamel dial and blued steel hands
Dimensions: unknown
Last public sale: unknown
Last public sale price: unknown
Source: Huber, M. & Banbery, A., Patek Philippe Watches, Vol. II, Second Edition, p. 75
Movement number: 157415
Additional number: 16010 – I do not know what this refers to, whether a sub-supplier number or otherwise
Manufacture date: February 14, 1912 (noted as start of production)
Calibre: unknown; 6 lignes full plate movement, 16 jewels, flat balance spring and compensation balance
Material: 18k gold and colored “cloisonne” enamel
Dimensions: unknown
Last public sale: unknown
Last public sale price: unknown
Source: Huber, M. & Banbery, A., Patek Philippe Watches, Vol. II, Second Edition, p. 75
The following piece was sold as “possibly Patek Philippe”. This language in a Lot generally indicates that the seller was likely unable to get an Extract, due to either the movement and case numbers not matching, or the dial and/or case are not correct.
Movement number: 18474?
Case number: 14474
Manufacture date: c. 1860
Calibre: unknown
Material: 18k gold and enamel dial
Dimensions: 18mm
Last public sale: Karl-Heinz Cortrie GmbH, June 13, 2020
Last public sale price: 1,000 Euro
Movement number: unknown (via Sotheby’s)
Manufacture date: unknown
Sale date: Sale to Prince Hussein Kamil of Egypt in 1887
Source: Exhibition catalogue for the ‘Timepieces of Royalty’ exhibition at the Patek Philippe Museum, in Autumn 2005
Movement number: unknown (via Sotheby’s)
Manufacture date: unknown
Sale date: Sale to Empress Teresa of Brazil in 1888
Source: Exhibition catalogue for the ‘Timepieces of Royalty’ exhibition at the Patek Philippe Museum, in Autumn 2005
Movement numbers: unknown (via Sotheby’s)
The Patek Philippe museum’s permanent exhibition currently includes “a few later examples of ball-form watches with varying dimensions and ornamentation”
We see these pieces from other manufacturers extending into the early 20th Century, such as examples from Tiffany (c.1890), a Swiss ball/brooch form (c.1890), Boucheron (c.1900), Nadine (c.1900), Fabergé St.Petersburg/Henry Capt Geneve (c.1900), a Swiss example (c.1900), a Swiss example with scroll ornaments (c. 1900), unknown example (c.1900), Cartier (1907), another Swiss ball and brooch example (c.1910), this Swiss (c.1910), this Swiss example (c.1910), this unsigned example (c.1910) and this Belle Epoque design (c.1910).