Unknown to the watch-collecting world until its appearence in the current Christie's (previously mentioned)auction, the oldest Patek Philippe(see previous) grand complication, was made in 1898 and sold in 1900 to Stephen Palmer for 6'000 CHF. It has been kept in the Palmeer family ever since and is being sold, quite remarkably, with the original box and papers, and a typed set of setting instructions from the original owner. The watch features the usual set of grand-complications, split-second chronograph, perpetual calendar with moonphase and minute-repeater with grand and petit sonnerie. Expected price is $1 to $1.5 million when it is sold as lot 71 at auction June 11, 2013.
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| In the above picture you can see the split-second mechanism, the peanut-shaped thing in the middle at the top and the ratchety wheel above, the main chronograph wheels, thin-walled brass wheels at the top of the movemenet, and the repeater chimes, steel wires encircling the movement. The Sonnerie and Minute repeater works would be under the dial, as is probably the perpetual calendar plate | |
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