Today's offering showcases this incredibly rare and stunningly beautiful Patek Philippe ref. 1515 Calatrava. It is an exceptionally seldom seen variant of one of the company's iconic Calatrava watches, and one that we are delighted to offer.

Made from 1941 until 1949 in very limited numbers, it comes from a historic era of Patek Philippe's production. It is noted for its unusual lugs and adds just a bit of drama to the company's classic Calatrava style. Further adding to its interest, it was produced during World War - and sold on the day the U.S. Marines invaded Iwo Jima after months of naval and air bombardment, February 19, 1945.

It was previously sold by noted Patek expert John Reardon, former head of watches for Christie's who worked for Patek Philippe for a decade.

It was made mainly in 18K yellow. In fact, according to one Patek expert less than 80 (how many less than 80 is unknown) were produced, and of those only 10 have ever been made available on the open market, nearly all in yellow gold. Sotheby's has noted that only three examples in rose gold have ever appeared at offering.

We just adore its look. While not a large watch, it wears bigger than its 30.5mm diameter, especially when worn with its accompanying bracelet, which complements it beautifully

Our examples are from the first production series for this reference which utilized caliber 10-110 movements. The second series switches to the 10-200. It has eight adjustments - five for chronometer positions and three for heat, cold, and even isochronism. Isochronism is the amount of wind left in the movement. Most watches slow down slightly as their power reserve moves toward empty. That is not the case with this watch - it is very high-grade and stamped twice with the prestigious Poinçon de Genève. Photos of the inside available upon request.

The case was made by Antoine Gerlach and utilizes a spacer ring to hold the movement. The ring is also correctly stamped with the matching case number. The dial was originally made by Stern Frères.

Its elegant 18K rose gold case is in near mint condition with light wear and fairly light signs of previous polishing. Its dial retains its original Patek Philippe raised enamel lettering and markings.

One of our Master Watchmakers has fully serviced it which consists of fully disassembling the movement, carefully inspecting each part, and reassembling and lubricating the movement (a $695 value).

Included with the purchase is a one-year C.O.T. international warranty on the movement and its function and a full-page custom printed Connoisseur of Time Certificate of Authenticity. A Patek Philippe Extract was obtained by the previous seller and lost, but a digital copy remains in the form of a photo.

• Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
• Country of origin: Switzerland
• Serial no.: 911,513
• Case no.: 298,418
• Year built: 1943
• Date sold: February 19th, 1945
• Model: Ref. 1515R Calatrava
• Functions: Hours, Minutes, Subsidiary Seconds
• Designed for: Men
• Case material: 18K rose gold
• Case condition: Near mint condition with light wear and fairly light signs of previous polishing. On the wrist it presents beautifully.
• Dimensions: 30.5mm wide (excluding crown - 32.5mm including crown), 38mm long lug tip-to-tip
• Dial: Salmon, signed Patek Philippe, applied gold baton and black painted indexes, outer minute track
• Hands: Original, rose gold "batons"
• Movement type: High grade, Cal. 10’’’-100, rhodium-plated, “fausses côtes” decoration, 18 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring
• Movement markings: Patek Philippe and Co., Swiss, Geneve, No. 911,513
• Band: Associated (non-Patek) 18K rose gold bracelet, period correct and very complementary, beads of rice design, sized to fit a wrist up to just under 8 inches, excellent condition. Its length could be adjusted by a jeweler.
• Width between lugs: 17mm
• Crystal: Mineral glass, excellent condition
• Servicing: One of our Master Watchmakers has fully serviced it which consists of fully disassembling the movement, carefully inspecting each part, and reassembling and lubricating the movement (a $695 value). Your watch is important to us, and we will take care of it for its lifetime. We provide the best after sale care in the business with an extremely experienced team of four Master Watchmakers all of whom each have over thirty-five years of experience and a large number of parts. One used to be the watchmaker for an authorized Rolex dealership and was given special training by Rolex at their Beverly Hills Service Center and also has done authorized work for the Richemont brands including Cartier, Vacheron & Constantin, IWC, JLC and others.
• Warranty: 1-year international warranty. Please email concierge@cotwatches.com for details.
• Box/Papers: BOX - Connoisseur of Time watch presentation box; PAPERS - Digitial copy of its Patek Archive Extract in the form of a photo; Connoisseur of Time Certificate of Authenticity; New timing certificate
• Returns: 7 days full refund. 100% satisfaction guarantee

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee for all of our watches. If you are in any way unsatisfied with the watch we will fully refund the purchase price anytime within 7 days after the watch has been received. Our goal is to exceed our client's expectations throughout the buying experience.

All watches are packaged carefully and mailed double boxed in specially constructed, reinforced shipping boxes designed for high value items. All watches are sent fully insured with signature required. Most of our domestic shipping is done through FedEx. At times we will also use USPS Express Mail, and we can accommodate most requests for your preferred carrier. International shipments are sent USPS International Express Mail or FedEx.

The purchase price will be the declared value of the merchandise on any required customs forms. The payment of all customs duties, tariffs, and taxes are the responsibility of the buyer.

Also note that water resistance of vintage watches can no longer be guaranteed and is not covered under the watch's warranty. We do not recommend getting a vintage watch wet, even one that was originally designed to be waterproof.

To get an idea of how this watch will look on the wrist, please use the Watch Sizing Guide