Patek Philippe Retailed by Tiffany & Co. Reference 425 in Platinum on Platinum Bracelet Unpolished

This Patek Philippe “Tegolino” reference 425 is a very special timepiece made of platinum. It measures 20mm in diameter by 43mm lug to lug. We believe the case is unpolished.

It is paired on a C+B bracelet in platinum. These bracelets were often found on high-end timepieces for the American market such as Cartier and Tiffany watches. It can fit a wrist up to approximately 6.9 inches in length.

The dial is signed “Tiffany & Co.” We ordered an Extract from the Archives, but we were refunded and told the information regarding the watch was not matching the Archives. We did not get any further information. It is possible that the movement was swapped during a service or the records were incorrect and showed a different dial (perhaps diamond hour markers originally or something). It is also possible that the Archives did not show that it was sold to Tiffany & Co. or did not reflect the Tiffany signature on the dial, however the Tiffany stamping would have been done in New York so it is possible Patek mistakenly rejected the Extract. The watch comes from the family of the original owner and is fresh to market, so we do not believe any funny business has been done to the watch. Perhaps in the future an Extract will be granted for the watch, but it is being sold as is without an Extract and with no possibility of getting an Extract in the near future.

The movement appears to date to circa 1942. The case has is without any Swiss hallmarks and was possibly made by French casemaker Villaret-Dauvergne, who also produced a platinum case for a wristwatch ordered by Henry Graves, Jr. through Tiffany & Co. during that period of time. According to Sotheby’s, “During the second World War, platinum was declared a strategic metal and its use in the production of jewelry and watches was almost unheard of and often forbidden.” As a result, platinum cases for Patek Philippe watches had to essentially be smuggled into the United States from France. This appears to be one of those cases.

The movement is powered by the calibre 9’90, a historically important rectangular calibre from Patek Philippe developed in the 1930s that served the company in watches over the following decades.

The original owners received the watch as a sales gift working for a major American tire manufacturer. The watch does not come with box and papers. We do not know the service history, but it is running well.

PRICE: SOLD (Item SBUXYT2604)