ref.1550
Yellow, Comet

A very fine and extremely rare 18k yellow gold manual-winding wristwatch ref.1550.
The Extract from the Archives, dated March 20, 2019, mentioned that this watch was sold on October 25, 1943.
The reference 1550 was launched in 1942 (May 18). Only three watches of this reference with hooded lugs are known to exist:
• One belongs to a private collection, reputed to have been presented to Reichsmarschall Hermann Wilhelm Göring (1893-1946), with the case probably bearing n°628 500 or n°628 503.
This reference is part of a series of six references launched in 1942 and produced for only one year, in yellow or pink gold. They are nicknamed « Comets » by collectors because of the overall case and design reminding a sky chart with planets. They are all fitted with the calibre 10-110, in a two-piece case, with snap-on case back, made by C. Markowski, Geneva (a case maker recorded with Geneva key n°8). Aesthetically speaking, they share the hooded lugs and hidden attachments. The metal dials for the six references were made by Stern Frères, with either two-tone silver of pink finish.
The six « Comets » produced by Patek Philippe are known as follows:
• Ref. 1540, launched March 3, 1942, in 6 yellow gold examples.
• Ref. 1545, launched April 4, 1942, in 1 pink gold example.
• Ref. 1548, launched May 7, 1942, in 3 yellow gold examples.
• Ref. 1549, launched May 7, 1942, in 3 pink gold examples.
• Ref. 1550, launched May 18, 1942, in 3 yellow gold examples.
• Ref. 1551, launched May 29, 1942, in 1 pink gold example.