PP 2499

This Patek Philippe timepiece stands as my absolute favorite. Often hailed as “perhaps the finest watch ever made,” the Reference 2499 is widely regarded as one of the most iconic and masterfully crafted models in horological history. Introduced in 1950, it succeeded the legendary Reference 1518—the world’s first serially produced wristwatch to feature both a perpetual calendar and a chronograph.

Produced over a span of 35 years, the Reference 2499 was released in four distinct series, with a total output of merely 349 pieces. Its rarity is underscored by the fact that, on average, only nine examples emerged from Patek Philippe’s workshops annually. The piece I have illustrated is a third series 2499.

The 1/1 original drawing itself is executed on my largest scale (B1) in a distinctive landscape orientation. I sought to capture the dynamic motion of the movement within the drawing. I devoted approximately 120 hours to this work, using only graphite on 300g Arches paper.