As the USA celebrates Independence this July 4th, at Collectability we celebrate Patek Philippe’s own independence with three classic Patek Philippe watches that embrace the symbolism of red, white and blue. First, a short history lesson to remind us why red, white and blue are significant on this special anniversary. The flag of the United States of America is a symbol of freedom and liberty as represented by the colors red, white and blue. Red symbolizes hardiness and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence and blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice. On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed an act establishing an official flag for the new nation. The resolution stated “Resolved that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” Today, the flag consists of 13 horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with six white. The stripes recognize the original 13 colonies and the stars represent the 50 states of the Union.
To celebrate the hardiness and valor of red, the above watch is a work of art that displays the valor of the engraver who bravely decorated each tiny gold piece of this self-winding caliber 240 movement. This ref. 3878J is a testament to both the skills of the watchmaker and the engraver, resulting in a kinetic sculpture of Swiss craftsmanship that will last for generations.
In honor of purity and innocence, the white gold Calatrava ref. 3602G above is a symphony of simplicity and design. The pure white dial is contrasted with the black Roman indexes circled by a delicate railroad track indicating the minutes. The Clous de Paris, or hobnail bezel offers texture and provides the watch, vintage in proportion a modern aesthetic.
Patek Philippe’s Golden Ellipse is the perfect watch to celebrate the vigilance, perseverance and justice of blue. The ref. 3589 above was the first automatic Patek Philippe to utilize the caliber 28-255, the thinnest and best self-winding movement at the time. Patek Philippe’s watchmakers were, and still are, constantly on a quest to make the finest movements for the finest watches. This perseverance can be seen perfectly in the Golden Ellipse, the divinely proportioned watch which was launched in 1968 and is still represented in the Patek Philippe collection today.
Lastly, we celebrate America’s Day of Independence with the symbol that represents the strength and freedom of the USA, the Bald Eagle. This magnificent bird became the country’s national symbol in 1782 when it appeared on the Great Seal of the United States. In the pocket watch above, the fierce beauty and proud independence of the great eagle is hand engraved in 18K yellow gold as it rises above a blue enamel background.
Independence has always been the corner stone of Patek Philippe. From the original founders to the Stern family who own the company today, Patek Philippe remains the oldest independent, family-owned Genevan watch manufacturer. This independence ensures the creative freedom to craft the finest watches possible. On behalf of all of us at Collectability we wish you and your family a very Happy July 4th!
July 2024
