166 Patek Philippe Coming from the John Goldberger collection, one of three example made, extremely well preserved and highly important, Tre Scalini, perpetual calendar moon phases, manual wristwatch in yellow gold, with triple step bezel, elongated lugs, Extract from the Archives, reference 3449.

Estimate: Fr. 2'500'000 –⁠ 2'500'000

• Model Tre Scalini
• Year 1961
• Reference 3449
• Case Material 18K yellow gold
• Case Number 311'263
• Bracelet Material 18K yellow gold bracelet, approximate length 205mm
• Movement Manual, cal. 23-300 Q, 18 jewels
• Movement Number 799'002
• Dimension 37.5mm Diameter
• Signed Case, dial and movement
• Accessories Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives, confirming the production of the present timepiece in 1961 and its subsequent sale on 31th May 1965.
• Literature Archive picture by: Martin Huber & Alan Banbery book “Patek Philippe Geneve” at page 216 and was previously sold at Antiquorum in Patrizzi's Golden Era "Timeless Beauty: Spectacular Wristwatches" auction 24th October 2004, as lot 122 for CHF 1,766,250.

Among the most mythical and intellectually compelling creations ever produced by Patek Philippe, reference 3449 stands as an exercise in extraordinary audacity, a watch that not only belongs to the lineage of perpetual calendar wristwatches, but quietly redefines it. Conceived during a period when the manufacture had already embraced structured, reference based production, the present watch defies that logic through an almost experimental and deeply introspective approach. In the post-war era, Patek Philippe increasingly standardized its output, even among its most complicated creations. Yet on exceedingly rare occasions, the manufacture produced references in vanishingly small numbers, not as special commissions, but as discreet explorations of design, mechanics, and client reception. Reference 3449 is perhaps the most refined expression of this philosophy. Only three examples of this perpetual calendar wristwatch were ever produced, all bearing consecutive movement numbers, an extraordinary detail that underscores the deliberate exclusivity of the series. Mechanically, it diverges from its contemporaries: rather than the calibre 27 SC QP or 27-460 QP found in other perpetual calendar references of the era, it is powered by the rarer manual winding calibre 23-300 Q, reinforcing its highly experimental character. Equally striking is the case itself. Measuring 37.5 mm, remarkably bold for the early 1960s, it features a sophisticated multi faceted bezel paired with elongated, sharply angled lugs. The result is a design of commanding presence yet remarkable elegance, elevated further by the interplay of polished and satin brushed surfaces that animate the watch with subtle dynamism. Today, all three examples are accounted for. One resides permanently in the Patek Philippe Museum, while another remains secured within an important private collection. The present watch, last offered publicly in 2004 during Osvaldo Patrizzi’s celebrated era at Antiquorum, achieved the extraordinary result of CHF 1,766,250. It has remained in the same collection ever since, its significance only deepening with time. Adding further emotional resonance, the caseback bears a deeply personal engraving: a name accompanied by two dates, one presumed to commemorate a birth and the other a 30th birthday celebration. Beneath appears the French phrase “Plus qu’hier, moins que demain”, “More than yesterday, less than tomorrow”, the celebrated line by the poet Rosemonde Gérard, transforming the watch from a purely horological masterpiece into an intimate object of affection and memory. Originally sold in 1965 by the Dallas jeweller Linz Brothers to Texas real estate developer George E. Poston for USD 5,500, the watch has passed through only a handful of important collections over the decades. When it reappeared publicly in 2014, Mr. Poston himself contributed to the catalogue, recalling both his passion for collecting and his enduring appreciation for Patek Philippe. Remarkably, despite the passage of time and several changes in ownership, the present example has remained preserved in exceptionally crisp condition. The case retains its strong proportions, sharp finishing, and deep hallmarks, while the dial remains beautifully clean and original, showing only the faintest and most attractive aging to its silvered surface. Its original purpose remains intriguingly uncertain. Produced in the transitional period between the discontinuation of references 2497 and 2438/1 and the introduction of the landmark reference 3448, the reference 3449 is widely believed to have been an experimental series, perhaps intended to gauge the reactions of the manufacture’s leadership and its most important clients. Significantly, all known examples were sold only after the commercial success of the 3448. Reference 3449 is not merely rare, it is historically consequential. With one example permanently institutionalized, ownership is effectively limited to only two watches worldwide. For the most discerning collectors, it represents not simply an acquisition, but a defining cornerstone of scholarship and connoisseurship: perhaps the final chapter in the pursuit of ultimate horological completeness.