PATEK PHILIPPE. A VERY FINE, RARE AND ATTRACTIVE 18K PINK GOLD AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH CREAM-COLOURED ENAMEL DIAL SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, GENèVE, CALATRAVA MODEL, RETAILED BY FRECCERO, REF. 2526, MOVEMENT NO. 761’295, CASE NO. 686’708, MANUFACTURED IN 1954 Movement: Cal. 12’’’600, automatic, 30 jewels, Geneva seal, signed Dial: First series cream-coloured enamel, signed by maker and retailer Case: Screw back, 36 mm. diam., signed With: 18k pink gold Patek Philippe buckle, Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1954 and its subsequent sale on 29th September 1955
This watch features a first-series, maker and retailer double-signed dial. First-series dials are characterized by the small dimples that are found at each hour marker. The construction consisted of attaching the hour markers to the dials by setting them with pins. Patek Philippe stopped this practice relatively early in production as many dials were broken in the process. From that point onwards, most 2526 enamel dials had the hour markers glued to the dial. Consequently, reference 2526 with the first-series dials are highly desirable and sought after by collectors.
To add a further layer of exclusivity, this watch was retailed by Freccero in Uruguay. The retailer signature can be seen just below the base of the hands and above the sub-seconds dial.
Reference 2526
Introduced into the market in 1952, reference 2526 was Patek Philippe's first self-winding or automatic watch, starting with movement number 760'000. The model features the legendary calibre 12-600 AT which was granted Swiss patent no. 289758 in 1953 for "a self-winding mechanism for a wristwatch movement using the energy supplied by a rotary mass causing an eccentric part to transmit a swinging movement to an organ of the mechanism".
The majority of reference 2526 was cased in yellow gold, a small series in pink gold and an exceedingly limited number in white gold and platinum. Mainly fitted with enamel dials with applied gold baton numerals, the white gold and platinum examples were also available with silvered metal dials with diamond indexes.
A paragon of understatement and timeless class combined with a state-of-the art movement, reference 2526 has significantly influenced the popularity of wristwatches featuring enamel dials. In 1960, it was replaced by reference 3428, equipped with the second generation self-winding movement, calibre 27-460.
The reference can be divided in three distinct series:
- First series: domed case back, enamel dial and riveted indexes. The dial presents flared holes under each index in order to allow for their setting.
- Second series: domed case back, enamel dials with the numerals glued to the surface. The dial presents only two flared holes for the hands.
- Third series: flat case back, same dial as on second series and in later examples metal dial.
- Fourth series: same as third series, but with new calibre 27-460
Reference 2526 is illustrated in: Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe - Volume II, pp. 244-245.
Reference 2526 is illustrated in: Blue Book 2, 2019 edition, pp. 56-143
Freccero & Cia., Montevideo
The firm was originally founded as a jewellery retailer in 1868 by Oscar Spangerberg of German origin who a few years later sold it to his employee Francisco J. Freccero. In 1908, Freccero & Cia. moved to 25 de Mayo in Montevideo. Initially focusing on jewellery, the descendants of Francisco Freccero decided to expand into watches, becoming the sole authorized retailer of Patek Philippe in Montevideo in 1929, a relationship that lasted for 70 years and resulted in the sale of some of the most exclusive and unique retailer signed watches of the 20th century.