Patek Philippe

Since posting my last message, as recommended, I have obtained an extract from the Patek archives which confirms my watch's authenticity and states that it is a 1967 model 3537 18k white gold 23-300 manual winding Patek.  However, I am still unable to ascertain why the inscription on the face differs from anything else I have seen.  Does anyone have any idea how I can find out why it has Patek Philippe & Co Ginebra, when my jeweler feels that it has not been tampered with and the type of dial is not mentioned on the archive extract?

The watch may be authentic as per the extract but the dial has been redone-badly!

Julian

The areas I would research are:

1. Ginebra is Spanish for Geneve.  As such a good place to start is to query Patek or research their activities in Spain or Spanish speaking areas in the 60s.

2. The "swiss made" seems a bit unusual/suspicious as the common version of this label appear to be simply "swiss" on the mainstream 3537.  In fact, I've not been able to find an example of "swiss made" on a Patek watch (but this was only a limited search).  Also note that "swiss made" is now a specific term which began to be regulated from the early 70s.  It could be the kind of quality moniker someone might want to add ex-post to a fresh watch face in the hopes of a resale - pure speculation.

3. In the typical 3537, the "swiss" label appears below the figure at six oclock not on top of it as in your example.

4. In the mainstream 3537, the label for Patek Philippe is without the "& Co" element.  Perusing Patrizzii/Banberry shows that "& Co" rarely if ever shows up after the 40s/50s.  I cold not find it in watches from the 60s - they simply state "Patek Philippe".

This is really just a quick analysis and I'm sure there are more experts online but these are the areas I would focus on if it were my watch.

   

1) Patek stopped adding  "&Co" on the dials in the year 1948 

2) I NEVER saw a different spelling of  "Geneve" like "Ginebra" on an original Patek dial
(and I have seen a lot of  PPs while collecting watches)

so you can be sure your watch was not delivered with this particular dial - it is a wrong redial.

Mostly the "print" on Patek dials (specially vintage) is not done with black laquer but executed in black enamel
e.g. minute and seconds tracks, but not always the brand´s name - this is added in laquer.

So it is rather easy to "restore" this kind of dials compared to dials on which everything is printed in laquer...

As a restorer you can "wash" them with aceton or similar , do a replating etc. - finally  you only have to add the brand´s name and "Geneve"
in black laquer...  some ignorant restorer used the Spanish spelling instead of the French one.

I think this is the explanation for the recent situation.

just my 2 (euro-)  cents

best

erich