WHAT IS SPECIAL
What could be more extraordinary than a vintage platinum Patek Philippe? Perhaps only one fitted with its original, highly precious platinum bracelet bearing the dual signatures of Gay Frères and Patek Philippe. It is hard to imagine the mindset of the original owner who, at the time, chose to pay several times the price of a standard gold Patek Philippe simply for a platinum bracelet, an exercise in understated luxury taken to its extreme.
One can, however, picture the buyer in the 1950s as a romantic futurist, someone drawn to ideas of progress and modernity. This Patek Philippe, affectionately nicknamed the “UFO” by later collectors, owes its moniker to the wide, flat bezel that evokes the flying saucers which had just entered popular culture and were considered decidedly avant-garde at the time. Patek Philippe played along elegantly, concealing the crown within the case to further enhance the watch’s streamlined, aerodynamic profile.
Finally, it is impossible not to mention the condition. From the 1950s to the present day, the watch shows remarkably little trace of time. The hallmarks remain crisp, the applied Patek Philippe logo retains its sharp relief, all bearing witness to the exceptional care with which the watch has been preserved over the decades. A watch like this is exceedingly difficult—if not impossible—to find a second example of.