Lot description
PROPERTY OF AN INTERNATIONAL RENOWNED COLLECTOR Patek Philippe ‘La Maison Platine’, Reference 2552 A platinum wristwatch with bracelet, Retailed by Cartier, Circa 1959 Dial: silvered Calibre: cal. 12-600 AT automatic, 30 jewels Movement number: 763’856 Case: platinum, screw down case back Case number: 695’341 Closure: platinum Cartier bracelet and folding clasp Size: 36 mm diameter, bracelet circumference approximately 200 mm Signed: case, dial and movement Accessories: Cartier Certificate of Authenticity confirming that the present watch was retailed by Cartier New York in 1959 The reference 2552 was introduced by Patek Philippe in 1954 and remained in production until 1960. Powered by the celebrated automatic calibre 12‑600 AT, the model was typically offered in yellow gold. Examples in white metal are exceedingly rare, with only nine known pieces—including the present watch—crafted in platinum. This remarkable timepiece can be regarded as one of the most important time‑only vintage Patek Philippe wristwatches ever, not only for its extreme scarcity and superb preservation, but above all because it ranks among the very few Patek Philippe watches ever retailed by Cartier. The partnership between the two houses came to an end in the 1960s when Cartier insisted that only its own name appear on the dial—an arrangement Patek Philippe was not prepared to accept. It is the only known platinum reference 2552 retailed by cartier. The present watch inspires extraordinary enthusiasm upon inspection. The crisp, unpolished case displays beautifully defined lines and lugs; the magnificently preserved dial features a sharply raised hard‑enamel signature; and the original Cartier platinum bracelet completes the ensemble with breathtaking elegance. Last seen on the market in 2006, where it achieved a remarkable 300,000 CHF, the watch has remained in one of the world’s most distinguished private collections ever since.
