1563 Patek Philippe Split Seconds Chronograph

Little did we realize when our newsletter editor wrote ‘A Brief Guide to Patek Philippe’s 1563 Split-Seconds’ in an edition a few months back, one of the three known would be coming to auction later that year. It turns out, that’s the reality we live in. The 1563 is a lot more than just a 1463 that’s 100 units better. It’s a rattrapante and it’s also distinct from the 1436, its predecessor. Just like Patek Philippe were first to the Perpetual Calendar Chronograph wristwatch, they were also first to the Split Seconds wristwatch (1922). The 1563 is the culmination of that legacy. One’s hitting the auction block in November. And yes, I’m turned on by the asymmetric chronograph hand counterweights too, it’s okay.

We’d like to thank our friends Eqo Time Group for the exceptionally useful and beautiful photography of this example in this article.

This example, case no. 657’132, hammered prior at Christie’s in 2013 for 1.4M CHF. It’s stayed in that private collection until today. If one examines the condition upon entering and exiting that collection, it is reassuringly comparable. Condition here rocks. There are but three examples known. The most famous, made for Duke Ellington, belongs to the Patek Philippe museum, who bought it for 1.6M USD in 2002. The second features a pulsations scale, famously previously owned by Jean-Claude Biver. That one went to a private collection in 2014 for 1M CHF. And then there’s this one, with somewhat unusual orange-radium luminous Breguet numerals and hands. Its back is engraved L. Estée” and “S.G.H., both prior owners, but it’s underneath that back where the 1563 shines. Its calibre 13-130 is VZ23-derived, stemming from Patek Philippe’s connection with Reymond Frères of the Vallée de Joux. Of course, the case is Borgel. And if you want little peak at the earlier history of the Patek split, look up the 130 ‘Boeing’, it’s worth your time.

1563s don’t just show up every season. As we said above, the last to hammer was in 2014. That this example has come to appear on market now is interesting on a few levels. First, there’s the timing. Collections totaling 22M (going by high estimate) can pick and choose when they are presented. That this collector’s work is appearing at Sotheby’s now does show some confidence that the seller believes the market has stabilized. We all treat the watch market as one thing, but the all-time great refs. sort of live in their own world and have their own laws of physics. This and the rest of the sale will set the tone for the vintage Patek Philippe market over the coming year, best we drink to good health.

And here’s quick few thoughts on condition, the dial is mega. It hasn’t changed since we saw it in 2014 and that’s great. There’s a light even and honest patina, but all the engraved enamel sections remain deep, full and lovely. Yes, areas have probably been lightly cleaned, but very sympathetically if so. The case is great, very full and as you’d want it. It’s coming to market from Sothebys, will be a fun one to watch.