Important Past Auction Killers or PAK watches don’t have to be complicated and excessively expensive.

This is especially true when talking about Patek Philippe, where the top watches that tend to fetch millions are either a world time, minute repeater or perpetual calendar. No, sometimes a simple but rare time-only watch can do the trick. I already talked about Ref 3428 or Ref 2577, both trophy time-only watches from Patek.

Now let me introduce another trophy watch, the Ref 3433. Obviously in Platinum.

(A nice view of one of the more seldom seen time-only watches by Patek. Ref 3433 / Credit: Christies watches).

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In 1960 Patek replaced the legendary and successful Ref 2551 with the Ref 3433.

While Patek had large success with the Ref 2551 and 2552, that carried the legendary movement 12-600 AT, after 7 years it was time for something new and the Ref 3433 was born. If you think the 2551 and its successor the 3433 look similar – that is because they are.

The case is almost identical (both are stepped) and both carry the beautiful PP crown. The wonderful stepped case of the Ref 3433 in platinum can be seen below.

(Credit: Christies).

The only slight change to the predecessor 2551, is that the Ref 3443 grew 0.5mm with the Ref 3433 to 36mm (versus 35.5mm with the 2551).

The main difference can be found inside the watch, the movement, which was now upgraded with the 27-460 (see picture below). Notice the 18k gold rotor (without the guilloche decoration as with the 12-600 AT). The Gyromax balance wheel can also be seen in the picture at 9/10 o’clock.

(Credit: Sotheby’s. The picture is for illustrative purposes only and is a white gold model and not the same watch as the platinum model which is the subject of this PAK watch).

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I personally prefer the Ref 3433 to the 2551 or the 2552 for a variety of reasons:

First it is rarer than the two other great automatic time only watches from Patek. Secondly I also prefer the movement in the 3433, the upgraded 27-460. The rotor is not decorated with guilloche (as was the 12-600 AT), leaving the owner to admire the rest of the movement which is beautiful. 

Like the 2551 and 2552, as well as 2526, the Ref 3433 are most rare in white metals; white gold and platinum. Unlike the 2526 where white gold seems to be the rarest variant, the most seldom seen variant of the 3443 is that cased in Platinum. And the 1974 platinum Ref 3433 Patek is also the subject for this PAK article.  What makes this watch particularly cool is the following:

• Rarity, as less than a handful of 3433 Platinum cased were ever seen at auction so far.
• The watch was sold with the Certificate of origin and original sales tag.
• Also, super rare, is the platinum buckle that comes with the watch, but is often lost with time.
• The watch was made in 1974 but only sold 7 years later (presumably due to the price of platinum at the time).

Not surprisingly, this watch sold towards the high estimate of CHF 85’000 (estimate was CHF 60-90k) back in 2008 at Christies.

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Closing thoughts 

There are far more important and valuable watches than this Patek 3433. But the Ref 3433 is a connoisseur’s watch.

The holy trinity of Patek automatic watches are the 2526, the 2551 and the 2552. But a much rarer and improved version is the 3433 that for some reason remains in the shadow of Patek Philippe early automatic watches. It is a watch for those who know, much like the 3428 and 2577 – I have written about earlier. In Platinum and found with the original sales tag and certificate of origin – this watch that sold in 2008 deserves to be a PAK watch.

And next time a Ref 3433 in any white material comes up for sale, I suggest you pay attention to it. They are rare, beautiful and increasingly sought after.