7 Video Views·Nov 12, 2024 #AntiqueAuction #AntiqueAuction"The London Fine Watches sale will be offering a number of Vintage, sought after “neo-vintage” and exclusive modern timepieces from a selection of renowned brands such as Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Rolex, Richard Mille and Breguet, accessible to both the new and seasoned collector.
Some of the highlights feature a spectacular Patek Philippe Ref. 533, one of only 11 known examples coming cased in yellow gold and rare silvered sector dial. A gift to Captain Thomas Moore, later Major General, this resilient timepiece has survived through both the First and Second World War. Moving forward in time is the Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 2526, the first serially produced self-winding waterproof piece, with immaculate first series enamel dial. The “Swiss” and “Swiss-made” designations at six o’clock are key to this piece’s history, being imported to the UK in the 1950s. On the other end of the spectrum is the 2022 model of the Tudor Pelagos “Parachute Regiment” in titanium, produced as part of the 80th anniversary of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment. Featuring the regiment logo at nine o’clock and all the locations where the unit has received honours on the case back, also being offered with the consignor’s maroon beret, it is very much exclusive and the first to come to market at the London Fine Watches Sale."
Watches like this to many collectors is the grail kind of drama and don't often turn up in
condition like this. Hi there, I'm Tom Heap. I'm the watch specialist for Sotheby's in the UK.
I'm going to be talking to you about three watches we have coming up for sale at the end of this
month. So the first watch I'm going to be talking about is this spectacular Patek Philippe reference
533. It's cased in yellow gold and comes with an incredibly rare silvered sector dial. So far
there are only 11 known examples to come to market. In addition to its amazing dial condition,
it has some really fantastic provenance. It was gifted to Captain Thomas North in 1939 by the
Brazilian Chief of Staff. Captain Thomas North later became a Major General and is a veteran
of the First and Second World Wars, serving in the Somme in 1917 and trading field artillery
divisions in the Second World War. After the war he went on to design the war graves and war
memorials in Belgium, Northern Europe and in the United States. So the next watch I'm going to be
talking to you about is this Patek Philippe reference 2526. It has an immaculate first
series enamel dial which is in a really beautiful kind of off-white creamy color in sublime
condition. It really has no damage to it which is quite unusual. Interestingly at six o'clock it has
a Swiss and a Swiss made designation. Given the watch was imported and sold in the UK in the 50s
it's likely to do with an import regulation of the period for Swiss made goods. So the 2526 was
the first serially produced self-winding waterproof Patek Philippe Calatrava which I suppose in a way
makes it a luxury sports model. So this last piece is completely different. This is not a vintage watch
it's a 2022 model of the Tudor Pelagos in titanium. It's a reference 25600T and was produced as part
of the 80th anniversary of the British Army's parachute regiment. As you can see at nine o'clock
it has the regiment logo. On the case back of the watch as well it has all the locations where the
unit has received honors and this is the first to be offered publicly in any capacity. This comes to
us directly from the original owner and in addition to the watch itself it comes with the maroon
beret worn by the consignor throughout his service in the British Army. This is the first one to come
to market so it's extremely exclusive and the first one as far as we're aware outside the hands
of the regiment itself. All three of these watches will be offered by Sotheby's as part
of the fine watcher sale and will be accompanied by a hundred or so other contemporary and vintage
pieces and will give a fantastic opportunity to add to a collection.
