Model: 2526R First Series
Year: Circa 1964
Case Material: 18k pink gold
Case Size: 36 mm
Movement: automatic calibre 12-600
Dial: White enamel dial, retailed by Freccero
Functions: Hours, minutes, direct small seconds
Caseback: closed back, and antidust cover
Strap: leather strap
Accessories: with extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1954 and its subsequent sale on 29 September 1955
A rare first-series pink-gold automatic wristwatch with enamel dial, retailed by Freccero
Few vintage Patek Philippe references hold the same quiet authority as the reference 2526. Introduced in 1952, it was the Manufacture’s first self-winding wristwatch, powered by the celebrated automatic calibre 12-600, and is now widely regarded as one of the most important post-war dress watches ever made.
What sets the 2526 apart is not only its historical importance, but the remarkable quality of its execution — from its substantial case construction to its double-baked enamel dial, a feature that has become central to the reference’s enduring appeal.
The present example is especially compelling as a rare first-series watch in pink gold, a notably scarcer metal for the reference. It was acquired at Christie’s by the collector putting it back to the market with Horamundi.
First-series dials are particularly prized by collectors for their more complex construction: rather than having hour markers glued onto the enamel surface, the markers are set through flared holes and fixed from the reverse — a difficult process that Patek Philippe quickly abandoned, making these early dials both rarer and more desirable.
A paragon of mid-century restraint, the 2526 is the sort of watch that reveals its significance gradually. It is elegant without being delicate, technically important without ever feeling overtly complicated, and possesses the kind of dial quality that very few watches — vintage or modern — can rival. In pink gold, and in first-series form, it becomes something rarer still: a connoisseur’s Patek Philippe, with all the depth and nuance that serious collectors look for.
Certification & inspection:
Every timepiece we offer are authentic, in hand, inspected by our team of watch specialist and available to view on appointment.
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