ADAM'S FINE WATCHES 5th DECEMBER 2024

Thursday 5 th December 2024 . Starting at 6pm 32 The Secret French Resistance Calatrava What do gangster Lucky Luciano, Colonel Pierre Fourcaud, head of the French intelligence services during the 4th Republic, and Matisse’s The Dance have in common? A watch - and not just any watch: the Patek Philippe Calatrava 1516 (1941-1950), considered by its fans to be the most refined timepiece in the history of watchmaking, with only about fifteen known examples in existence. In 1957, the infamous mafia boss Lucky Luciano, known for creating the crime syndicate that unified the American “families,” gave his 1516 as a peace offering to a younger godfather, Joseph Bonanno - who was portrayed by Al Pacino in The Godfather. This particular Calatrava Ref. 1516, now up for sale at Adam’s, comes from André Deloc- que-Fourcaud, grandson of Sergei Shchukin, the greatest modern art collector who discovered artists like Gauguin, Matisse, and Picasso. Shchukin famously commissioned The Dance from Matisse, which is considered the Mona Lisa of the 20th century. The Calatrava originally belonged to his son, Pierre Delocque-Fourcaud, also known as “Captain Fourcaud.” A World War I hero, Fourcaud refused to accept the defeat of the French army, managed to escape to London in July 1940, and joined General de Gaulle to help organize the French Resistance. On September 29, 1949, a distinguished gentleman with a fine mustache entered the historic Patek Philippe store on Rue du Rhône in Geneva. According to the archives accompanying the watch, he purchased the Calatrava 1516 model. Why did Colonel Fourcaud, future head of espionage in the 4th Republic, travel to Geneva to buy this 1516 as a gift for his wife? And why a men’s watch? Perhaps he wanted to preserve in this iconic timepiece the memory of their love, torn apart by the war. In a sense, it was their Dance of Matisse? 52 PATEK PHILIPPE, GENÈVE REF. 1516, CALATRAVA, 18K YELLOW GOLD, EXTRACT OF ORIGIN, STERN FRERES DIAL, CASE BY GERLACH A rare 18K Yellow gold manual winding wristwatch with subsidiary seconds Year : 1949 Dial : By Stern Frères ; Silver with applied yellow gold baton markers, Applied yellow gold roman numerals at 12-3-6. outer minute track. Yellow gold ‘sword’ hands Calibre : Patek Philippe signed Calibre 12-120 PS ; N° 964.281 Case : 301.885 ; By GERLACH Bracelet : Patek Philippe Leather Strap with Patek Philippe 18K yellow gold buckle Dimensions : 32 mm. Thickness : 10 mm. Signature : Dial, case and movement Accessories : Extract of Origins by Patek Philippe, dated February 2018. Last Patek Philippe Service receipt, dated November 2018. Patek Philippe Service pouch € 5,000 - 8,000