First Post - Need Some Guidance on a Family Mystery

[destruya]

Okay, some backstory:

My maternal grandfather was in Lucerne Switzerland in mid-August of 1938 (right before things started getting spicy) and bought *two* Patek Philippe watches from E. Gubelin's Lucerne shop. One was (as you'll see in the album) a "Gentleman's modern wristwatch in 18 carat gold case, fine 18 jewelled Patek, Philippe, & Cie movement," but the second watch is where I could use some advice or expertise.

Without further ado, here's the album with the pictures: (apparently I need ten posts to post links, so if someone who sees/replies first could help me with that, I'd appreciate it >.>)

First, the band is hideous, I know, but it is actual gold to reasonably match the watch, which apparently was meant to have a leather band originally. But apparently it was sold WITHOUT a band, and smuggled back into the States in my grandfather's watch pocket because he wanted to pay excise tax on the aforementioned 18 jewel Patek and not THIS watch. As the family mystery goes, this watch was apparently a "prototype" of sorts (I'm just relaying what I've been told for years), with a 22 jewel movement.

It has been worn over the years - mostly as a costume piece. A local jeweler, who discovered the 22 jewel "oddity" offered her something like $20k on the spot about 15 years ago, which she didn't accept.

So, can anyone, at least at a glance, give me a little more to go on? I emailed Patek and they referred me to Henri Stern in NYC. I'm not averse to jumping on the Acela for a night or two in Manhattan, but I'd like to be a little less misinformed before making the trip and outlaying the money to have the watch properly authenticated and serviced.

(The other Patek is in the family safe deposit box but apparently is pretty standard Patek fare)

Thanks in advance for any advice or information.

[Vasco]

Welcome on the forum. It's always nice to follow such adventure about a watch.

I can't help much but if I had something rare I would only trust Patek (not an AD but Patek directly, hence one of the 3 salons or maybe Henri Stern agency). Secondly, I wouldn't do anything to the watch (like servicing) until I'm 100% sure replacing original parts won't significantly damage it's value. Some rare pieces may require to be staying in their original condition.

Keep us informed :)

[Andad]

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[jfriedkin]

Photos would be nice. Also, you need to have photos of the movement and inside of the caseback. With this information, you would be able to obtain an extract from the Archives.

There are several vintage scholars on this site that should be able to help, once you have that information.

[destruya]

Originally Posted by jfriedkin

Photos would be nice. Also, you need to have photos of the movement and inside of the caseback. With this information, you would be able to obtain an extract from the Archives.

There are several vintage scholars on this site that should be able to help, once you have that information.

Yeah, I agree photos would be nice, but I need to post ten times to be able to post the Google Images album link to the pictures I took. -_-

(and I can't see an option to PM anyone so I'm guessing that might be post-gated as well)

Some more backstory was that he bought them while on a Catholic Charities trip in mid-August of 1938. He was 21 at the time.

I think the "prototype" thing is a long shot, but it IS possible that it's an uncommon and/or rare watch, since it apparently cost enough to make my grandfather sneak it past customs in NYC because he didn't feel like paying taxes on it.

[destruya]

Thanks to the intervention of the mods, there's now a single picture of the watch in question in the OP.

However, here are the other pictures from the album (apologies that the lighting in the safe deposit box viewing room wasn't better):













Again, the band is *not* original, and the receipt from Gubelin is for the *other* Patek my grandfather bought (and paid excise tax on when returning to the states). I'll have to take a picture of that one the next time I hit up the safe deposit box.

So can anyone at least ID what Patek this MIGHT be? I very much doubt my grandfather was sold a "prototype," but that doesn't leave out the possibility that he bought an "uncommon" watch, and the salesman used the wrong word.