Patek Philippe. An extremely fine and very rare 18K gold keyless wind open face minute repeating perpetual calendar pocket watch with moon phase and 24 hour indication
Reference: 962/1J-001
Date: Purchased January 2001
Movement: 29-jewel Swiss lever, Cotes de Genève finish, free-sprung microstella balance, two polished hammers striking on two gongs, adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism & 5 positions, Stamp of Geneva, No.866595
Dial: Brushed silvered, applied gold Arabic numeral hour markers, outer minute divisions, subsidiary dials at 3, 6, 9 and 12 for month combined with leap year, date combined with seconds, day combined with 24 hour indication and moon phase, gold baton hands, No.866595
Case: Heavy polished round hinged, repeat slide in the band at 9, quick set buttons at 1 and 2, exhibition cuvette, No.2837635
Signed: Case, dial & movement
Size: 52mm
Accompaniments: Patek Philippe box, Certificate of Origin, Patek Philippe pouch
Footnotes:
As the wristwatch market dominated the sales from watch manufacturers the production of pocket watches dwindled to almost nothing. In recent history when watch manufacturers do produce pocket watches it is with one main objective - to demonstrate their depth of expertise and to really celebrate the rich history of complications that can be added to a watch. It means a fine modern pocket watch is not only a rarity but when someone like Patek Philippe decides to make one it will be spectacular. Patek Philippe have produced some of the finest ultra complicated watches in history with fantastic examples on either side of the introduction of computer aided design. From the Henry Graves super complication to the more recent extraordinary Calibre 89 and Star Calibre - each decade reaches a new height in their ability to produce such fantastic timepieces whilst expressing the real 'Art of Watchmaking', using their artisans expertise and ability to produce each part to the highest of standards

The Reference 962 is no exception to this and is a piece made for the absolute connoisseur of watchmaking. The rarity of this watch cannot be understated and it is imperative to really appreciate just how much time is needed to complete the movement, dial and case of a watch that only Patek Philippe can attain with this extreme level of complication. Our research indicates that so far only one other Ref:960 has been seen on offer at auction before.

The present piece is in exceptional condition and offers one of the rarest opportunities to own a piece of Patek Philippe history - one that may never come up for sale again.