Patek Philippe "Form" Watches
I believe there to be nine known heart-form pendants. Each heart pendants is unique, through all key-wound and of the same shape and size (the ones with images found are all hunter cases), and were produced in a period of time from the mid/late-1850s to the mid-1860s. It is interesting to see the same retailer (Hessenberg) for at least two of these pieces given their rarity.
If you own or know of others, please let me know.
Movement number: 15331
Case number: 15331
Manufacture date: 1858
Calibre: 9”, heart-shaped
Signature: dial, case and movement
Material: 18k gold, red garnets, pearl, enamel, blued steel hands
Dimensions: length 27mm, width 25mm
Sale date: November 26, 1864
Last public sale: Antiquorum, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces, Geneva, 12 May 2019
Last public sale price: CHF 32,500
Last public comments: in original tortoise shell covered fitted box with winding key
Prior sale: Art of Patek Philippe, Geneva, 9 April 1989
Prior sale price: unknown
Prior sale comments: in this auction catalog a different sized caliber (16′) and also heart size (36 x x23 mm) are noted
Currently: this watch is currently owned by FutureGrail
Movement number: 16129
Manufacture date: 1859 per Extract
Calibre: 10” (movement signed)
Material: 18k gold, amethyst, diamond, enamel
Dimensions: diameter 27mm
Sale date: Unknown
Last public sale: Christies, Important Watches, Hong Kong, 29 May 2008
Last public sale price: HKD 247,500
Movement number: 16217
Case number: 16217
Manufacture date: 1859 per Extract
Calibre: 9’, heart-shaped
Cuvette: signed AMW, numbered (per Christie’s sale, below)
Signature: dial, case and movement
Material: 18k yellow gold, diamond rose, enamel
Dimensions: length 29mm, width 22mm
Sale date: August 5, 1868
Last public sale: JP Timepieces (and here)
Last public sale price: USD 20,900
Last public comments: in original box
Prior public sale: Christie’s, Important Watches, 15 November 2010
Prior public sale price: CHF 10,625
Movement number: 16219
Manufacture date: c.1854 per catalog, but movement would date to 1859
Material: 18k gold, red tourmaline, pearl, enamel
Retailer: Sackermann Hessenberg & Co, Frankfurt
Dimensions: length 27mm, width 25mm
Sale date: Unknown
Last public sale: Antiquorum, Important Collectors’ Wristwatches, Geneva, 16 October 2005
Last public sale price: CHF 26,450
Movement number: 25089
Manufacture date: 1864 per Extract
Calibre: 9”, heart-shaped
Cuvette: signed and numbered for the retailer and maker
Material: Gold, garnet, diamond, enamel
Retailer: Hessenberg & Co., Frankfurt
Dimensions: length 32mm, width 24mm
Sale date: December 9, 1864
Last public sale: Sotheby’s, Important Watches, Geneva, 11 May 2008
Last public sale price: CHF 43,000
Last public comments: one hand missing, service required
I am not sure why the following break with the numbers of other heart pendants:
Movement number: 6965
Manufacture date: unknown
Calibre: 9”, heart-shaped, 10 jewels, key winding
Material: 18k yellow gold, rose diamonds, blue enameled covers, blued steel hands, white enamel dial
Sale date: May 23, 1854
Source: Illustrated in Patek Philippe by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, First edition, p. 108 & 109, pl. 17a-c. (also referenced in Christie’s and Sotheby’s)
Movement number: 7633
Manufacture date: 1853
Calibre: 9”, heart-shaped
Material: 18k gold, rose diamonds, blue enamel cover with rose-cut diamonds, white dial
Sale date: June 28, 1854
Last public sale: Antiquorum, Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces, May 7-8, 2022
Last public sale price: TBD
Last public comments: with Extract
Prior public sale: Ader: Bijoux & Montres, Paris, 25 November 2020
Prior public sale price: 12,800 Euro
I do not have movement number information for the below.
Movement number: unknown
Calibre: 9”, heart-shaped
Manufacture date: est 1854
Material: Gold, diamonds, green enamel cover
Movement number: unknown
Calibre: 9”, heart-shaped
Manufacture date: est 1854
Material: Gold
Case: Leaf design on cover
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).
The scarab beetle is associated with the Ra, the Sun God (of creation, movement of sun, life and resurrection). The beetle is a common form used for amulets throughout Egyptian history, and scarab beetles appear on timepieces from the late 1800 through early 1900s.
From Patek Philippe I have found only a single piece sold publicly. If you own or know of others, please let me know.
Patek Philippe Scarab Beetle
Manufacture date: 1888
Movement number: 82972
Material: 18K gold, diamond, ruby, enamel
Retailer: Tiffany & Co. (dial and movement signed)
Length: 55mm
Sale date: May 15, 1889
Last public sale: Christie’s, Important Watches and Wristwatches, New York, 12 October 2006
Last public sale price: USD 66,000
There are numerous examples from the period, including from Vacheron Constantin (1910), Longines (1916), along with unknown makers in Switzerland from c.1880, c.1880, c.1880 and c.1890.
Believed to be unique, this piece was manufactured in 1875 and owned by Elbert E. Farman, the Previous Diplomatic Agent and Consul-General to Cairo. Farman was able to secure the obelisk Cleopatra’s Needle, which resides in Central Park.
This backpack is detailed in the Christie’s description and Lot Essay from the 2019 auction, and articles in advance of the auction from GQ, Forbes and WatchPro.
Following the 2019 auction, this Patek Philippe Backpack was featured in a Collectability article, the Collectability NFS (Not for Sale) video, and the Patek Philippe International Magazine Volume IV Number 9 Summer 2020 magazine as one of the auction highlights from the year in review.
Patek Philippe Backpack Pocket Watch
Movement number: 50.607
Case number: 50.607
Manufacture date: 1875
Calibre: 10”
Material: 18K yellow gold, platinum, enamel dial
Retailer: Tiffany & Co. (case signed)
Length: 1.5” height, 0.5” depth
Sale date: March 18, 1876
Last public sale: Christie’s, Important Watches and American Icons, New York, 12 December 2019
The Patek Philippe reference 1252 is one of the most unusual pieces I’ve seen from the manufacture. Manufactured in the late 1940s, ref 1252 features a chameleon wrapping around a bracelet, with its head perched just above the square dial. Made of 18k yellow gold, there are two pieces publicly known, with Patek Philippe only referencing that it is not a piece unique (Collectability, ‘A Horological Pilgrimage to The Patek Philippe Museum’).
Image: hifi-archiv.info
One of the two known pieces is at the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva (P-107; Patek Philippe Museum, Volume II, page 195). This example has Arabic numerals at 12 and 6, stick markers at 3 and 9, and triangle markers at hours otherwise.
Image: Luxuo
The first public sale of the second known example was at auction in France in approximately late 1980-early 1990s (please let me know if you have better details on this auction). This example, with movement 940899 and case 638777, returned to auction at Antiquorum in May 2023 (Lot 450), reaching an all-in price of $430,000 USD. Antiquorum notes the piece as having a Caliber 7”’ 70, 18 jeweled movement, with case and movement both signed. The dial differs from the example at the Patek Philippe Museum in that the markers are parallelograms.
Image: Antiquorum
Looking closely at the example, the text on the dial looks more crude than the Museum example, with posts for the numerals slightly visible above the ‘2’ at 12, and also above the 6. The extract from the Patek Philippe archives did not provide detail on the dial (which is not unusual),