I have written about the Patek caliber 27-460, which is nothing less than one of the two or three finest automatic movements ever to leave the hands of Swiss manufacturers. It is an exquisite movement, built to the standards of an age when time and cost were of relatively little consequence. This wonderful caliber is available in a variety of older Pateks, including the Reference 3445 (right). It is a beautiful watch in a 1960's Patek sort of way: elegant, refined, simple, modest. As a friend commented, "Nothing to complain about." Oh, the power of faint praise.But what bothered me most about the 3445 was that it gave no hint of the much greater beauty inside. Rita Hayworth in army drabs, albeit custom tailored. Oh, to reveal the insides!
This wonderful caliber is available in a variety of older Pateks, including the Reference 3445 (right). It is a beautiful watch in a 1960's Patek sort of way: elegant, refined, simple, modest. As a friend commented, "Nothing to complain about." Oh, the power of faint praise.
But what bothered me most about the 3445 was that it gave no hint of the much greater beauty inside. Rita Hayworth in army drabs, albeit custom tailored. Oh, to reveal the insides!
Why not, I thought, do this with something a bit better in the movement department? Something that would show the 27-460 front and back in all its glorius craftsmanship?
In examining the Patek 3445 back, it measured only 0.5 millimeters thick throughout the center section. There would be no way to put a crystal in that. I'd need at least one millimeter and even that was cutting it close.
"What's this," he asked. "A flying saucer?"
He knew my ways. I explained that I actually wanted him to solder an 18K ring to the caseback of the 3445 (right, arrow). I had calculated the diameter and depth, and this would give me enough material in the back to install a sapphire.
"I hate it when you use the p-word ['It has to be perfect']," John said. "But I'll do it."
John had provided me with excess metal in every dimension, so I was able to exactly machine the inside diameter, height, and width of the bezel.
I installed the sapphire glass with a tight press fit, and cemented it in place with a wonderful Seiko epoxy made for crystals.
I liked the brushed metal calendar ring laying out the entire month to be seen, but there was a need for some kind of dial markers. I happened to have some 18K arrow markers left over from a recent project on another watch. Waste not, want not. I cut them in half, drilled 0.20 millimeter holes in the periphery of the ebauche and installed the markers with one foot each at the four cardinal positions. Because this was, after all, still a Patek, I placed double markers at 12 o'clock.
Because this was, after all, still a Patek, I placed double markers at 12 o'clock.
The dial side was finished.
The back was finished.
That's a Jelly Fish 344527460.
