Beschreibung:

Patek Philippe. A rare and unusual silver open-face keyless lever watch with center seconds. Signed Patek Philippe & Co. No. 74382. Cal. 18 gilt-finished lever movement, 18 jewels, bimetallic compensation balance, wolf's tooth winding, silver cuvette, the silvered chased dial with Roman numerals on blank cartouches, outer Arabic five minute divisions, raised scroll and foliage decorated center, pink gold Louis XV hands, sweep center seconds, the circular case with finely chased and engraved scroll and floral decorated bezel and band, the back centered by a chased and embossed scene depicting St. George and the Dragon and inscription S. Georgius Equitum Patronus in high relief; the inside with the inscription In Tempestate Securitas and a ship in full sail with the sleeping Christ and two apostles, cuvette signed by maker and numbered, dial signed PP & Co. GENEVE. 47mm diameter Condition: To the best of our knowledge, this watch is one of only three comparable silver "St. George" watches known to date. Its rarity is further enhanced by the unusual combination of a chased silver case and the sweep center seconds. St. George, patron of England and legendary slayer of the Dragon, was an early Christian who was martyred under the rule of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in A. D. 303. The banner of St. George, the red cross of a martyr on a white background, was adopted for the uniform of English soldiers possibly in the reign of Richard the First, and later became the flag of England and the White Ensign of the Royal Navy. The back of the present watch depicts the St. George talisman, showing St. George on horseback, thrusting his lance at a dragon and the inscription "S. GEORGIUS EQUITUM PATRONUS" (St. George, protector of knights) on one side. The reverse shows a ship in full sail on a rough sea and Christ asleep on the deck with two terrified apostles, a wind blows through a small cloud into the sail and the inscription "IN TEMPESTATE SECURITAS" (protection in the storm). Very good condition.