Patek Philippe 2438/1R

A Patek Philippe with unique configuration on a highly coveted and exceptionally rare perpetual calendar from the 50's.

When one speaks of Patek Philippe’s legacy in complicated wristwatches, reference 2438/1 occupies a singular position. Produced between 1952 and 1963 in the smallest of numbers, it was the first perpetual calendar wristwatch by the maison to feature both a screw-down waterproof case (37mm diameter) and central seconds. A technical achievement for its time, it bridged elegance and innovation in a way that continues to resonate with connoisseurs today.

The example presented here rises above even this already rarefied circle. It is cased in pink gold; a metal reserved for only a handful of this reference. Yet it distinguishes itself further still. It is the only known first-series pink gold 2438/1 fitted with oversized Arabic numerals, complemented by blued baton hands, a configuration that imbues the watch with both strength and legibility. Most likely it mainly had to do with the latter; a unique expression, tailored for a specific client of discernment.

That client was Otto Gerhard Friedrich Bovensiepen, a German businessman, whose name remains delicately engraved on the caseback. The watch comes not as an isolated artifact, but as a complete chapter in horological history: its life documented through receipts, identification, and decades of service records. From the full revision carried out in 1983 to the archival requests lodged as recently as 2021, its journey has been one of careful preservation, guided always by respect for what it represents.

For the seasoned collector, it presents not simply an addition to a collection, but the possibility of acquiring a piece that stands apart in the landscape of 20th-century watchmaking. The 2438/1R speaks quietly yet with authority; of innovation achieved with restraint, of rarity that is absolute, and of provenance that is both rich and intact. To encounter it is to be reminded why collecting at its highest level is not about accumulation, but about the pursuit of the exceptional.