PATEK PHILIPPE. A RARE 18K GOLD OPEN FACE WATCH ADAPTED FOR WEAR ON THE WRIST (MONTRE À BRACELET-COURROIE) WITH ORIGINAL BOX AND GUARANTEE CERTIFICATEProduction year of movement, 1910; timepiece sold March 1913.
US$4,000 - US$6,000
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Find your local specialistPATEK PHILIPPE. A RARE 18K GOLD OPEN FACE WATCH ADAPTED FOR WEAR ON THE WRIST (MONTRE À BRACELET-COURROIE) WITH ORIGINAL BOX AND GUARANTEE CERTIFICATE
Movement: Gilt 17 ligne serpentine bridge pattern jeweled through the center, lever escapement with moustache counterpoise, bimetallic balance, overcoiled spring, snail cam precision regulator, no. 159108
Dial: Gilt guilloché, minute ring enclosing enamel Arabic chapters, subsidiary seconds, blued hands
Case: Polished with hinged back lid and signed gold cuvette, gold hinged rectangular loops for strap at 3 and 9 o'clock, crown at 12 o'clock, no. 270065
Signed: Case, dial and movement
Size: 44.5mm
Accompaniments: Original leather maker's box with partial paper serial number label, contains original Guarantee Certificate and sheet of tissue paper with instructions
Footnotes
During the closing decades of the 19th century, the convenience of a watch worn on the wrist became evident to military officers as well as equestrians, bicyclists and others engaged in physical activity. The general acceptance of men's wristwatches did not occur until their widespread use in the trenches during World War I. In the early 20th century, a watch worn on the wrist as a bracelet was considered a distinctly feminine accessory.
In contrast to the robust "trench watch", the present watch is a rare example of a man's dress watch adapted to be worn on the wrist. Surviving designs for leather straps to hold watches date from circa 1900. A watch to be worn in this way was termed a "Montre à bracelet-courroie" or "Wristwatch with bracelet-belt" to distinguish it from a lady's "montre à bracelet".
For more on this subject see David Boettcher's web site : www.vintagewatchstraps.com
