Henry Graves Pocket Watch 24 Complications/Million

This Patek Philippe pocket watch was made for Henry Graves a famous bank during the U.S's economic turmoil.
Henry Graves was an ardent watch collector as well as a patron for Patek Philippe.
He had a tendency to compete with James Ward Packward an automobile manufacturer, they would always attempt to have the most complicated timepiece possible. In 1933 this bickering ended when Graves received a pocket watch that could not be outmatched, The super complication was commissioned in 1927 by Graves and of course delivered in 1933.

Henry Graves Spend 60,000 Swiss Francs on the timepiece about 15,000 USD at the time.
3 years went into designing the timepiece and 5 to manufacture.
There was only one of these glorious timepieces made, and its history goes a little like this.

• It went to Henry Graves from 1933 until his death in 1953

• The time then went to his heirs until it was sold in 1968 to The Time Museum in Rockford, Illinois.

• In 1999 following the closure of the Rockford Time Museum it was sold to a member of the Qatari Royal Family for a record breaking $11,002,500, the transaction was made at Sotheby's in New York.

• In July 2014 it was announced that the timepiece would again be sold at Sotheby's Geneva and on November 11 2014 the timepiece was again sold for a record shattering $24,000,000 by Auerl Bacs a known watch collector and auctioneer as well as the former head of watches at Christies, the timepiece most likely going to an unknown client of his.

The 24 Complications at a million each

The hours, minutes and seconds of sidereal time (3)

Sunset/Sunrise time

Equation of time

Calendar

Perpetual calendar

Day of the Month

Day of the Week

Month

Star Chart (Depicting the stars in New York by Grave's home to the exact relative distance)

Moon Phase

Chronograph 

Split second

30 minute recording

12 hour recording

The Chime

Grande sonnerie (Westminster chimes) with carillon

Petite sonnerie with carillon

Minute Repeater

Alarm

The going train up-down indication

The striking train up/down indication

The twin barrel differential winding

The three-way setting system

line

This makes this the most complicated timepiece ever created without computer assisted machinery.

With 940 components this timepiece truly deserves the title of super complication everything was hand made to perfection.

The Celestial

Today will be the first Saturday blog I've ever done, to start off I would like to recommend WatchFacts.com

Watch Facts is the carfax of the watch industry they certify that a timepiece you have bought has not been stolen and of course if its all original.

Ok so lets start this off my beloved watch lovers.

Today I will be speaking about another timepiece I dream to have.

It is a Patek Philippe Grand complication

Quick fact Patek Philippe made the first wrist watch in 1868

The grand complication was the celestial particularly ref 6102

A dream upon the stars, yes indeed this timepiece is.

This timepiece is a start gazer to say it can be looked at just like the beautiful night sky.

Patek Philippe uses their 240 mechanical movement on this timepiece.

Illustrating the hours and minutes of solar time

a beautiful sky chart with the phases as well as the orbit of the moon.

It gives you the time of the meridian passage of Sirius and moon.

And a hand for your date.

Composed of 315 components 45 jewels

with a diameter of 44 mm

It has power reserve of 38-48 hours and produces 21,600 vph

Of course the name Patek Philippe is respecting in the watch industry but they always seem to take simplicity and complication one step closer.

This timepiece is truly something that shines but without all the aesthetics other watchmakers use

Patek Philippe instead uses a beautiful dial with outstanding functions to capture the attention of anyone just how the full moon catches your eye in the night sky.

Truly exceptional.

I truly admire Patek Philippes work and especially this timepiece.

I truly do believe they try to simplify the complicated and make it into something magnificent.

They use a shiny navy alligator strap with square scales that goes perfectly with the color scheme of the timepiece.

I'm short on time today since it is my birthday so I'll had to make this one short.

Remember I will gladly accept any of my dream watches as a gift.

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