PATEK PHILIPPE & CIE. A. CAIRELLI ROMA POCKET WATCH STAYBRITE STEEL

Brand Type Retailer Period Movement Winding Functions Case Material Case Shape Case Back Case Maker Case Maker’s Mark Dial Hour Markers Hands Subsidiary Seconds Minute Track Crystal Crown Bow Condition Description Patek Philippe & Cie., Genève Open-face pocket watch A. Cairelli – Roma Circa 1930s Patek Philippe high-grade gilt manual-winding movement Manual, crown wound Hours, minutes and subsidiary seconds Staybrite stainless steel Round, open-face Removable steel back Taubert Frères, Geneva FB within a key, historic François Borgel trademark subsequently used by Taubert Silvered dial with vertical satin finish, double-signed “Patek, Philippe & Cie Genève” and “A. Cairelli – Roma” Applied baton indexes Faceted polished metal hands At 6 o’clock, finely finished subdial with blued-steel hand Peripheral pearl-style minute track Period mineral/acrylic crystal Fluted winding crown at 12 o’clock Polished steel bow Very good overall vintage condition, with dial and components consistent with the period A rare and exceptionally elegant Patek Philippe & Cie. open-face pocket watch in Staybrite stainless steel, made for the renowned Roman retailer A. Cairelli, whose signature appears prominently on the dial alongside that of the Geneva manufacture. The Cairelli connection adds considerable historical and collector interest. Patek Philippe watches retailed by A. Cairelli in Rome are documented from the early decades of the twentieth century, including important pocket watches bearing the retailer’s signature on their dials. The beautifully preserved silvered dial is distinguished by its subtle vertical brushed finish, applied baton hour markers and elegant faceted hands. At 6 o’clock, the subsidiary seconds register features fine concentric detailing and a striking blued-steel seconds hand. Particularly attractive is the “A. CAIRELLI – ROMA” signature incorporated into the upper portion of the seconds register. Equally noteworthy is the Staybrite stainless-steel case, a highly appealing feature among vintage Patek Philippe watches. The case is attributable to the celebrated Geneva casemaker Taubert Frères, identified by the distinctive FB-within-a-key trademark. Inside is a beautifully finished Patek Philippe manual-winding movement with gilt bridges, displaying the refined construction and traditional finishing associated with the manufacture’s high-grade pocket watches. The combination of a Taubert Frères Staybrite steel case, the Patek Philippe–A. Cairelli double-signed dial and the beautifully executed silvered finish makes this an unusually compelling vintage Patek Philippe: a timepiece bringing together Geneva haute horlogerie, specialist Swiss case-making and an important chapter in the history of fine watch retailing in Rome.