Patek Philippe 'Tasti Tondi', Reference 1463 | A stainless steel...

Dial: silvered, Breguet numerals
Calibre: cal. 13''' manual winding, 23 jewels
Movement number: 867'658
Case: stainless steel, screw-down case back
Case number: 653'518
Closure: stainless steel Patek Philippe buckle
Size: 35 mm diameter
Signed: case, dial and movement
Box: no
Papers: no
Accessories: Patek Philippe Extract from the Archive confirming date of sale on May 22, 1950

Please note the leather strap derived from endangered species is for display purposes only and is not sold with the watch. The watch will be shipped with a Sotheby’s branded calf leather strap.

Condition Report:
MVT: is running at the time of cataloguing. The chronograph is not functioning.
CASE: is in good overall condition. It presents some fine scratches. There are very fine hand engravings behind the lugs.
DIAL: is in good condition. It presents few minute blemishes. There is a scratch on the minute subsidiary dial. The hand and indexes have been relumed. The indexes present a reaction to UV-lighting fading instantly. The hands present a reaction to UV-light which remains consistant. The dial presents a residual radioactivity with a reading on the Geiger counter of 6.13 μSv/h.

Catalogue Note:
While the Patek Philippe reference 1463, fondly nicknamed "Tasti Tondi" for its round pushers, is already a coveted collectible, the present lot represents a particularly rare and sought-after iteration. Produced from 1940 to roughly 1969, only around 720 examples of the 1463 were ever crafted, with the vast majority featuring 18k yellow gold cases.

This exceptional timepiece stands out with its robust stainless steel construction, a material chosen by a select few during the reference 1463's production run.

Further elevating its rarity, this stainless steel 1463 boasts a captivating dial adorned with applied Breguet numerals. Those dials, primarily intended for the US market, are incredibly scarce. While estimates suggest a total production of around 100 examples across all case materials. The dial is confirmed by the Extract from the Archives.

Futhermore, this example is equipped with luminous hands and indexes, a feature that was only available on request.

However, the scarcity is further amplified by the limited number of confirmed examples. With only around 13 known examples in yellow gold, 2 in pink gold, and 20 in stainless steel, encountering a 'Tasti Tondi' with Breguet numerals, especially in stainless steel, is a rare privilege for collectors

The combination of the stainless steel case and Breguet numerals makes this Patek Philippe reference 1463 a true prize for discerning collectors.

Provenance:
Sotheby's, London, December 2007, Lot 250