73 Patek Philippe An extremely early, fascinating and rare, tonneau-shape manual wristwatch in yellow gold, with gilted guilloché dial, box and Extract from the Archives.

Estimate: Fr. 7'000 –⁠ 14'000

• Year 1913
• Case Material 18K yellow gold
• Case Number 283'964
• Bracelet Material Leather strap
• Movement Manual, cal. 10", jewelled
• Movement Number 178'489
• Dimension 26mm width x 35.5mm length
• Signed Case, dial and movement
• Accessories Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present timepiece in 1913 and its subsequente sale on 7th October 1919 and fitted presentation box.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, wristwatches were still a daring proposition. Pocket watches reigned supreme, and only a handful of visionary manufactures understood that the future would be worn on the wrist. Among them, Patek Philippe stood apart. Its early wristwatches were not adaptations but carefully considered creations—often produced in minute quantities, shaped with elegance, and finished to the same uncompromising standards as their grand complications. These were objects made for connoisseurs long before the word “collector” entered the horological vocabulary. The present 18K yellow gold tonneau-shaped wristwatch, manufactured in 1913 and sold in 1919, belongs to that pioneering era. Its softly faceted case, with gently curved flanks and articulated lugs, reflects the transition from Art Nouveau fluidity to early Art Deco geometry. The gilded guilloché dial, framed by a finely detailed minute track and stylised numerals, possesses a quiet, almost poetic refinement. Time has lent it a gentle patina, enhancing rather than diminishing its charm. The blued hands float above the textured surface with remarkable delicacy, a reminder that restraint was once the ultimate luxury. Equally compelling is its state of preservation. The case retains strong definition and architecture, including the warm oxidation along the edges that speaks to more than a century of existence. The engraved caseback—bearing a personal dedication dated September 1919 adds a testiment to its level of preservation and age.