Rare Swiss gold and enamel open faced watch Circa 1916

Gold and enamel open faced watch by Patek Philippe
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A fine and rare yellow gold and enamel open faced watch, made in 1916. Manual winding movement.
Two tone enamel dial with grey-purple guilloché enamel center field, white enamel chapter ring with painted black Breguet numerals, blued steel Breguet hands, subsidiary seconds, outer dot minute divisions • 18k yellow gold open faced case, grey-purple guilloché enamel bezel and band, personally inscribed cuvette, monogrammed case back full decorated with grey-purple guilloché enamel, case, dial, cuvette, and movement signed.
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Diameter: 45 mm
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Signed: Patek, Philippe & Cie. Geneva Switzerland
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Accompanied by a Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming the date of sale on December 7th, 1916 with engraved initials J.J.F on grey-purple enamel. Together with a second custom made dial with guilloché center field, the indexes of which spell the original owner’s name, Julius J Funke. 

Patek Philippe frequently made bespoke pieces for its clientele, adding personalized details, such as the ‘JJF’ initials engraved on the grey-purple enamelled case back.  Julius J. Funke, the original owner of this piece, worked as a bookkeeper for Webb Lee & Company, a well-known brokerage firm in Detroit.

This watch is further noteworthy for the lovely enameled centerfield of the dial.  It is rather rare to find examples featuring decorative elements to the dial, as this is typically seen exclusively on the case back.