PATEK PHILIPPE POCKET WATCH REF. 651A

The ref. 651 was produced from 1937 all the way through the early 1990s. This exceptionally rare steel version features its original archive confirmed Breguet dial, officially named the HP dial representing heure penchées. For fellow English speakers out there, ‘penché’ translates to ‘slanted’ in English referring to the slanted font of the numerals. The dial of this example was made by Stern Frères and is a fine example of what an unrestored dial from the 1940s can and should look like. Note the finely aged discoloration of the varnish, the raised enamel of the engraved signature, the original painted accent over the first ‘e’ in Genève, the SWISS under 6 o’clock, and of course the original, drilled and silvered outer ring of minute pearling. This is what collecting Patek Philippe is all about. The 17 ligne caliber flaunts the Geneva Seal and the early United States import mark PXP. One last fun fact, today almost all modern white metal Patek Philippe watches utilize white gold applied batons or numerals. Whether a platinum watch, white gold watch, or steel, odds are that the numbers or markers are made in white gold. For this steel ref. 651, the archive notes the raised Breguet numerals are made from steel, a lost art from the past beautifully preserved on this watch.

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