Swiss gold chronograph with perpetual calendar Circa 1896

Gold complicated repeating chronograph by Patek Philippe
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A Swiss pink gold open faced minute repeating perpetual calendar chronograph watch with moon phases, circa 1896. Retailed by Spaulding & Co. This watch features a Cal. 19”’ manual winding movement. It has a white enamel dial with Roman numerals, outer Arabic five-minute divisions, and four subsidiary dials for moon phases, lunar calendar, day, month, and date combined with constant seconds. The 18k pink gold case features a monogram, a slide in the band, a chronograph operated through the crown and a button in the band, and a hinged cuvette and back. The case, dial, and movement are all signed. It comes with a Patek Philippe presentation case and an Extract from the Archives confirming the date of sale on October 5th, 1898.
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Diameter: 55 mm
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Signed: Patek Philippe & Cie
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This intricate Patek Philippe pocket watch, crafted at the end of the 19th century, is a remarkable blend of art and history. Even by today’s standards, the combination of a minute repeater, perpetual calendar, and chronograph function is exceptionally challenging to achieve, making such pieces exceedingly rare. Discovering a well-preserved example from over 120 years ago is quite extraordinary. This specific timepiece was sold by the Chicago-based company Spaulding & Co., which also had offices in Paris at the time; hence, its signature adorns the cuvette and movement of the watch. In 1929, Spaulding & Co. merged with Black, Starr & Frost and Gorham and continues to operate today under the name Black, Starr & Frost.
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The movement is running smoothly, the chronograph is working accurately, the calendar is advancing correctly, and the repeating function is in phase. The case is in excellent and attractive condition. The monogram on the back is still well-defined, and there are crisp engravings and hallmarks inside the case. The watch has undergone some polishing during service, and there is some light surface wear visible to the naked eye. The enamel dial is intact and in very good condition. There are fine surface blemishes visible when closely examining the dial.