My dealer sent me some pictures of a 50s Patek Philippe ref 2497 for sale. I am not an expert on Patek so can anyone here see any red flag from the not so good pictures? Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

Please open the case, or have someone open it, and show us what is inside the case (the mechanism), and also any stampings inside the case back. Otherwise, we’ll only be guessing.

 

IMO, there is something strange here. Fab. Suisse on the dial, is for watches imported in France and could mean it is a French custom case and not a Swiss case. On the other hand the calendar is in English.

 

You definitely need to see the movement and the case back to get a better opinion. The dial looks ok but the 'Fab Suisse' marking on the moon dial is not one I've seen looking through the Huber & Banbery Patek Philippe book. There might be an explanation for it but you'll have to dig it out. I'd proceed with caution until you can find out more. Anyone offering one of these should provide an Extract from PP to give the details of the watch.

 

I second what @omegastar and @Evitzee say about Fab suisse: you would want to see both french (import) hallmarks on the case and an extract confirming sale in France.

I also think the hands are wrong for the dial style. With this (earlier - and in my mind lovelier) applied dots dial you tend to see leaf hands, while these hands are the hands commonly fitted to the applied batton-dial.

Case looks good, I can't immediately find fault with the fonts but given the obvious importance I would want to put that dial under a microscope.

Best of luck and please keep us updated!

EDIT: 'Fab. suisse' on complicated patek seems to be more common on the earlier ref. 1518. On the hands, Phillips seems to claim they might have been changed bc the watch remained unsold and they wanted to adapt it to changing tastes in the late fifties ...