Comments:
credit: @dax2499 (1-3), @minutesdevoyages (4-6) & Christie’s
credit: @minutesdevoyages (1-2) & Sjx
credit: @dax2499 (1-3) & antiquorum
credit: Sjx
credit: hodinkee (1-4) & Christie’s
credit: christie’s
credit: @unekual (1) & Monaco Legend Auctions
credit: hodinkee (1-3) & phillips
credit: fivew (1) & phillips
Overview of the Patek Philippe World Time ref. 2523
Launched in 1953, the Patek Philippe World Time ref. 2523 featured a new two-crown system, one for winding the watch and the other at 9 o’clock controlling the city disc.
Two versions were available: ref. 2523 with larger lugs sitting above the bezel and ref. 2523/1 with a slightly larger diameter (36 mm instead of 35,5 mm) and thinner lugs no longer sitting above the bezel
Both were powered by caliber 12-400 HU comprising the world time module developed by Louis Cottier.
This thread is a complement to the fantastic one made back in 2016 by DCC: In depth Review: Patek Philippe 2523 Reference World Time. As he had predicted, new models have surfaced and it is possible to bring some complements to his overview.
This thread is structured in three parts:
- Photographic review of 6 examples of ref. 2523
- Photographic review of 4 examples of ref. 2523/1
- Listing with links to auction page of (hopefully) "all" models known today.
Enjoy!
Best, Emmanuel
A/ REFERENCE 2523 – 6 EXAMPLES
1/ Gold Guilloché dial with "waved" pattern, Yellow gold case
Manufactured in 1953
Movement No. 720'300, Case No. 305'699
Lot 88 at Christie’s Rare Watches 8 November 2021
credit: @dax2499 (1-3), @minutesdevoyages (4-6) & Christie’s
2/ Eurasia dial, Yellow gold case
Manufactured in 1953 and sold on December 7, 1954
Movement No: 720'301, Case No: 306'193
Lot 33 Phillips The Geneva Watch Auction: XIII, Geneva Auction 8 - 9 May 2021
credit: @minutesdevoyages (1-2) & Sjx
3/ Gold Guilloché dial with "Genève" at 6 o’clock, Yellow gold case
Manufactured in 1953, sold in December 1954
Movement No. 720’308 & Case No. 306’199
Lot 590 at Antiquorum Geneva, May 12, 2024
credit: @dax2499 (1-3) & antiquorum
4/ Gold Guilloché dial with "Fab Suisse" at 6 o'clock, Yellow gold case
Manufactured in 1953 and retailed by French jeweler Jean Guillermin on October 10, 1956
Movement No: 722’702, Case No: 306’207
Lot 469 Antiquorum Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces Geneva, May 13, 2012
Lot 908 Phillips The Hong Kong Watch Auction: FIVE, Hong Kong Auction 28 November 2017
credit: Sjx
5/ Blue enamel dial, Yellow gold case
Manufactured in 1953, sold on 9 July 1956
Movement no. 722'704, case no. 306'209
Lot 600 Antiquorum Important Watches, Wristwatches and Clocks Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 12, 1997
Lot 64 Christie’s Patek Philippe 175 9 November 2014
credit: hodinkee (1-4) & Christie’s
6/ Blue enamel dial signed "Gobbi", Pink gold case
Manufactured in 1953 and sold on 10 April 1957
Movement No. 722'715, Case N. 306'216
Lot 114 Christie’s Important Watches 15 November 2010
Lot 2201 Christie’s The Masterpiece Auction (23 Nov) / Important Watches including an Important Private Asian Collection Part One (27 Nov) 2019
credit: christie’s
B/ REFERENCE 2523/1 – 4 EXAMPLES
1/ White dial signed "Tiffany & Co.", Yellow gold case
credit: @minutesdevoyages (1-6) & hodinkee
Manufactured in 1963, sold on June 5th, 1964
Movement No. 724’302 Case No. 313’036
Lot 183 Phillips Geneva Watch Auction: FIVE Geneva Auctions 13-14 May 2017
Lot 178 Christie’s “Important Watches” on 17 November 2008
Lot 104 Monaco Legend Auctions Exclusive Timepieces, 22 – 23 October 2022 | Monaco
credit: @minutesdevoyages (1-6) & hodinkee
2/ White dial with Yellow gold case
Manufactured in 1963 sold in June 1968
Movement No. 724'307 Case No. 313'041
Lot 164 Monaco Legend Auctions Exclusive Timepieces 22 – 23 April 2023 | Monaco
credit: @unekual (1) & Monaco Legend Auctions
3/ White guilloché dial with Yellow gold case
Manufactured in 1965 sale on 23 January 1973
Movement no. 724'314, case no. 313'048
Lot 213 Christie’s Important Wrist and Pocketwatches, London, 18 March 1998
Lot 117 Christie’s Rare Watches Including Important Private Collections 16 May 2016
Lot 55 Phillips The Geneva Watch Auction: XIX featuring the Guido Mondani Collection May 12, 2024
credit: hodinkee (1-3) & phillips
4/ White Guilloché dial with Pink Gold case
Manufactured in 1954 and sold on May 17, 1973
One of only 4 known pink gold 2523/1 with guilloché dial (one being in the Patek Philippe museum)
Movement No: 724'317, Case No: 313'051
Lot 373 Phillips The Hong Kong Watch Auction: TWO Hong Kong Auction 31 May 2016
Lot 39 Phillips The Geneva Watch Auction: XII, Geneva Auction 6 - 7 November 2020
credit: fivew (1) & phillips
C/ LISTING OF “ALL” KNOWN MODELS NB: I've tried to be exhaustive, but have probably missed some examples
The first number is the movement number; they are ordered increasingly (YG=yellow gold, PG=pink gold, WG=white gold).
REF. 2523
720'300: example A/1 above
720'301: example A/2 above
720'303, case 306'197 YG (Eurasia): Patek Philippe Museum, Inv. P-1148
720'304, case 306'201 YG (Eurasia): Lot 24 Antiquorum Exceptional Horological Works of Art Geneva, Oct 19, 2002
720'308: example A/3 above
722’700, case 306'202 YG (Gold guilloché dial & bracelet): Lot 410 Antiquorum Important Watches Hanae Mori Building, Dec 15, 1990
722'701, case unconfirmed YG (Guilloché): only mentioned by Phillips in the catalogue essay of 722'711
722'702: example A/4 above
722'703, case 306’208 YG (Blue enamel): only mentioned by Phillips in the catalogue essay of 722'711
722'704: example A/5 above
722’705, case 306’204 YG (Blue enamel): Lot 252 Antiquorum Important Watches and Wristwatches Hong Kong, Hotel Furama, May 28, 1989 & Lot 473 Antiquorum Important Watches, Wristwatches and Clocks, Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 31, 1998
722'706, case 306'205 YG (American continent): Lot 294 Antiquorum The Art Of Patek Philippe Geneva, Apr 09, 1989 & Lot 88 Christie’s Important Watches 14 May 2012
722’707, case 307’475 WG (American continent): Lot 918 Antiquorum Important Collectors Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 21, 1995 - Patek Philippe Museum, Inv. P-1044
722’708, case 306’210 YG (American continent): Lot 529 Important Collectors Geneva, Hotel Du Rhone, Apr 02, 2006
722’709, case 306’211 YG (American continent): Lot 408 Antiquorum Important Watches Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 02, 2000
722'710, case 306'206 YG (South America): Patek Philippe Complicated Wrist Watches by Giampiero Negretti & Paolo de Vecchi pp. 158-159 (it can be seen in the post by DCC)
722'711, case 306'212 YG (South America): Lot 27 Phillips The Geneva Auction: XXIII, 9-10 May 2026
722’712, case 306’213 PG (Gold guilloché)
: Lot 259 Sotheby's Important Watches 13 November 2011 • Geneva
722’714, case 306’215 PG (Blue enamel)
: only mentioned by Phillips in the catalogue essay of 722'711
722'715: example A/6 above
722'716, case 306'217 PG (Black): Patek Philippe Complicated Wrist Watches by Giampiero Negretti & Paolo de Vecchi pp. 162-165 (it can be seen in the post by DCC)
722’717, case 306’218 PG (American continent): Lot 204 Antiquorum Important Watches Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 18, 1998 - Patek Philippe Museum, Inv. P-1106
REF. 2523/1
724'302: example B/1 above
724’303, case 313’037 YG (Silver): Lot 530 Antiquorum Important Wristwatches, Watches & Clocks Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Oct 17, 1992
724'304, case 313'038 YG (Silver): Lot 257 Phillips The Geneva Auction: Six, November 11, 2017
724'307: example B/2 above
724'309, case 313'043 YG (Silver): Lot 570 Antiquorum Important Watches Tokyo, Dec 15, 1989
724'310, case unspecified YG (Silver guilloché): Lot 12 Christie's Exceptional Patek Philippe Wristwatches, Geneva 13 November 2001
724’311, case 313’045 YG (Silver guilloché & bracelet): Lot 497 Antiquorum Important Watches New York, Omni Berkshire Place Hotel, Jun 20, 1998 & Lot 122 Antiquorum Noga Hilton, Geneva, Apr 12, 2003 & Lot 2509 Christie's The Legends of Time Hong Kong 22 May 2021
724’312, case 313’046 YG (Silver guilloché): Lot 2219 Sotheby’s Important Watches, 05 October 2015 • Hong Kong
724'314: example B/3 above
724'315, case 313'049 PG (Silver guilloché): Patek Philippe Museum, Inv. P-212
724'316, case 313'050 PG (Silver guilloché): Lot 140 Antiquorum Important Watches, Wristwatches and Clocks, New York, Omni Berkshire Place Hotel, Jun 20, 1998
724'317: example B/4 above
Captivating indeed.
And I think I like them all too. Even if I’m not completely fond of the double signed dial.
Wow... simply stunning.
Thanks for collating these, Emmanuel.
The hour hands are beautiful and unique.
The cloisonne dial still look amazing after all these years.
And so nice to see my city-state on these dials.
Yes, this kind of world time with 41 city names is much
more satisfying than the 24 main time zones models. Here you have Singapore and India isn't left out as it usually is: Bombay, Calcutta...
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
Thank you, KMII.
It was a lot of work, but hopefully it'll be useful for future fans of this model, just like DCC's article has been for me!
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
I’ve always admired world time watches.
But unfortunately I have more and more trouble reading the cities and the function only works 6 months per year due to daylight savings.
Of course, it isn't as useful a complication as one could think.
But I remain personally sensitive to the imaginary of universal time...
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
Such a great and educational post. Thank you.
PP WTs are some of my favorite PP models. Over the last 19 years I had a privilege to own five of them:
5110J, 5130J, 7130G, 5130R and 5131J.
Currently only two are in the collection: 5130R and 5131J....but I must confess that I miss the 5110J and I'm considering to reacquire it again... or even trade my 5130R for it, if someone would prefer 5130R over 5110J. All Patek WT watches just ooze the elegance and the vintage vibe......I love them all!
5110J, 5130J, 7130G, 5130R and 5131J.
Currently only two are in the collection: 5130R and 5131J....but I must confess that I miss the 5110J and I'm considering to reacquire it again... or even trade my 5130R for it, if someone would prefer 5130R over 5110J. All Patek WT watches just ooze the elegance and the vintage vibe......I love them all!
Thank you, I'm glad you liked this post,
as it has involved a lot of, hopefully useful, work.
It's quite a collection of world timers you have (and had)!
And I understand your nostalgia for the 5110J. I've tried on both the R and P 5110 and something about this model is just perfect (predictably, R would be my pick).
Best, Emmanuel
PS: if you're interested,
I've also collated the data concerning the early ref. 542: www.watchprosite.com
/
As I decided to insert it in a post dedicated to the homage to this ref. by Reima Koivukoski (in the Horological meandering section), it will probably not get much attention, but those interested will still find their way to it.
Best, Emmanuel
As I decided to insert it in a post dedicated to the homage to this ref. by Reima Koivukoski (in the Horological meandering section), it will probably not get much attention, but those interested will still find their way to it.
Best, Emmanuel
what is more iconic than Patek’s world time. Thank you for this fantastic and insightful post.
Nothing is more iconic, indeed!
Thank you for stopping by: I'm glad you liked this quite demanding post.
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
Amazing write-up, as usual.
Thanks for posting!
So many great examples of the classic WT here. Hard to pick a favorite.
I love the bridge layout of the 12-400. Functional, beautiful, and allows the finishing to shine through, especially the near-black polished areas.
Cheers,
John
Thanks for the kind words, John.
I agree with you that everything is to love here, from dial and case/lugs design to the movement architecture and decoration.
Some consider this reference as the best world time Patek has ever made and I can understand why, even if I am not very fond of such rankings.
Best, Emmanuel
Some consider this reference as the best world time Patek has ever made and I can understand why, even if I am not very fond of such rankings.
Best, Emmanuel