...as with a true Westminster sonnerie, the exact melody of the Big Ben is struck "en passant" wherein, importantly, quarter notes are struck first before hour notes are in "grande" mode. Thank you for covering this monumental watch, the Mona Lisa of our times.
...is a late example in yellow gold from the 4th series, the most common variant, necessarily with a printed "sigma" dial. Condition looks good but it is difficult to pass judgement based on photos alone. The cases of many vintage watches have been "reconditioned" (metal added and redone to "factory
Especially at the date ring. The engraved dials fired with hard enamel has a thinner font compared to the printed dials. The yellow 3448 gold in your chrono24 link has a printed dial. Mike H's watch has an engraved hard enamel dial and I would be surprised if it was made after 1970. I compiled a dat
For ref. 3448 the transition from engraved hard enamel to printed dials happened in 1970. For other references such as the 2499 the switch from engraved to printed took place a couple of years after around 1972. The four series of the 3448 are roughly as follows: 1) engraved hard enamel dials with l
Not enamel dial but that the early (only pre-1970 for ref .3448) dials were engraved and filled with hard enamel for the signatures and scales then fired, a costly and traditional practice that was dropped after 1970 in favor of simply printing the dials. Look at a dial (on a real watch, not photo)
...and one of the greatest complicated Patek Philippe watches ever made. The holy grail is an early (pre-1970) example with engraved hard enamel dial in white gold, of which only 4 are known. Yellow gold is much more affordable, again the worthwhile pursuit is an early example made before 1970 with
...in terms of execution and historical lineage. The limited edition in platinum (100 pieces) is difficult to find and the most collectible of the reference.