Beautiful Patek Philippe 18KT yellow gold strap buckle, size 14mm, from the late 1990s.
SPECIFICATIONS
Width at strap attachment: 14mm
Width at top: 19.8mm
Overall width: 16.8mm
ANALYSIS
Like everything Patek Philippe has produced throughout its history, its passion for design development combined with a careful eye for the classicism of its past makes every object, every watch accessory, special.
In this field of high excellence, the buckles for its watch production have always been and continue to be an item of great collector’s interest: every vintage Patek Philippe watch must have its original buckle from the period. This is a mantra among collectors of the brand around the world.
This 18kt yellow gold buckle has been perfectly preserved over the decades.
It has a leaf-shaped design characterized by a blend of soft, slightly curved straight lines and very sharp edges. The interplay between solid and hollow is calculated and masterfully managed, making this small but highly precious accessory a micro-sculpture with its own formal identity and design autonomy.
This now distinctive and recognizable shape was introduced by Patek Philippe in the early 1950s and featured on watches originally intended only for the US market. For this reason, they are commonly referred to as “Henri Stern” (“HS”) buckles, after the US distribution company, “Henri Stern Watch Agency.”
On the back of the upper arch, the details of the various hallmarks are clearly visible: the “Patek Philippe” signature dominates all the others in a prominent position; immediately below it is the oval “PPCo” hallmark, indicating “Patek Philippe & Co”. Then there are all the symbols of 18K gold, including the typical “St. Bernard’s head” hallmark enclosed in an asymmetrical hexagon, which in 1995 replaced the “Helvetia” head hallmark as the official hallmark of the Swiss Precious Metals Assay Office for watchmaking.
From the early 1950s to the present day, the marvelous shape of this barb has undergone very few changes, establishing itself as an icon in its own right, in relation to the watches it paired with.
