ref.565
Yellow, two tone dial, indirect sweep seconds

A very fine and very rare 18k yellow gold manual-winding wristwatch ref.565 with two tone dial and indirect sweep-seconds.
Ref.565 was launched in 1938 as Patek Philippe's first large waterproof watch. The first waterproof watch with a screw back was the reference 438, launched in 1935, but was a much smaller size. Ref.565 featured the caliber 12'120, and by 1950 featured a new caliber, 12'400. In 1939 the model was also produced with a sweep center seconds version, with the caliber 12 SC, until 1949 when it was replaced with the caliber 27 SC. Cases were made by Taubert, a company that specialized in waterproof cases. The model was cased in yellow gold, pink gold, and stainless steel, and was for a period of time the least expensive watch listed by the company.