Matt Bain and his team have re-tooled their website and have been bringing the heat by adding some quick read content on current pieces and sharing stories from past deals, ala the recently published post on “The Bulletin”. If you haven’t read that one in particular, it’s a fun and informative must read!
Background
Here’s a cool and interesting Patek ref. 2431 I recently had the pleasure to spend some time with to write a quick take from observations. The ref. 2431 was produced for a short window of time after its introduction in 1948 until approx. 1955. There were two series, with the first featuring the 12-120 caliber and the second with the 12-400 caliber. I’ve only seen examples in yellow and rose gold, and it’s believed the original production was quite modest with low double-digit numbers now know.
This particular example in rose gold is fresh to the market from South America. The first feature my eyes are drawn to are the very ornate, twisted and sculptural lugs that have a flame appearance of sorts. The design of the lugs evokes Baroque cues and gives this reference a unique appearance on the wrist. Not much beats a great set of lugs!
The Case
With these killer lugs, we’ll start with checking out the case first this time. The case was made by famed Patek casemaker, Emile Vichet (Key 9). Some unique features of Vichet cases are the notched roman numerals seen on the case components. These were presumably used during the manufacturing process to correctly match the components during assembly. This case also features the expected double hallmarks. One is on the lower portion of the crown side and the other is on the backside of the lug. The side hallmark is deep and even, while the back hallmark appears to have been stamped slightly crooked and why I suspect it’s missing a portion of the hallmark and not missing it from polishing, which would be quite unusual on a back side of the case when the rest of the case is strong. That type of hallmark stamping on the lug underside isn’t too surprising to see at times, given the hallmarks were affixed by an outside agency as required for registration and customs. Inside the case back I see the correct original stampings and one service mark. The ornate lugs are the highlight for sure on this reference and overall, the case is in strong condition for the age of this example. As for size, this one clocks in at a little over 34mm diameter with a lug width of 16mm.
The Dial
The silvered dial features a crisp and complete engraved enamel signature, seconds and outer minute tracks. A silvered dial is the usual type seen on this reference and I’m aware of at least one example with a rose dial in a rose gold case. Markers alternate between an Arabic 12 numeral, dots at 3 and 9, then faceted daggers for the other hours, with the exception of no marker at 6 o’clock. Under a loupe, the dial appears to have its original satin finish with appropriate signs of natural, honest aging and oxidation. The markers also have sharp transitions, which are features that can be lost during restoration when the markers are pulled off and polished before re-attaching to the dial. The hands are rose gold baton style for the hour, minute and seconds. They appear original and all of the correct length. Near the crown stem, a verdigris tinge is noted, which is a natural reaction to the copper alloy in the rose gold. It’s not unusual on pieces that haven’t been freshened up for sale and this example doesn’t show any concerning signs of past moisture intrusion into the case.
Of interest to share about this reference during the second series (featuring the 12-400 caliber), a couple different dial types are known in the market. The first type has a dial with alternating stick and dot (for the 3 and 9) hour markers. The second type features teardrop hour markers with a double teardrop marker at 12.
The Movement
The 12-120 caliber movement is in very good condition with no signs of corrosion, and has intact rhodium plating with screw head slots that don’t look beaten or chewed up from past work. It’s not uncommon to see these movements with stray marks on most of the plating and wear to the screw heads from past servicing over the years, so it’s always welcome when they are well-preserved as a sign of a piece not being worn hard and improperly stored over the years.
Closing Thoughts
On the wrist the ref. 2431 has a solid presence and wears well without appearing too large or small, with the attention-getting twisted lugs signaling a definitive cue to its vintage era of production. I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick read. It was a pleasure to spend some time with such a cool, well-preserved example of this reference.
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My heavens. Those lugs are to die for. Nothing like vintage Patek!