Because of its oversized flared lugs , which have been referred to as “ Mickey Mouse lugs”, the Patek Philippe Ref. 1543 is not very popular nowadays. It was nevertheless popular at some point since, introduced in 1942 , it was in production until the ear

. . . in a raffle (true!), but if anyone's handing out Pateks, I'll gladly take a ref 1543 . . . [photo and watch credit: winddown] . . . anytime!

. . . ref 1543 . . . [image credit: winddown, watchprosite] . . . and there's also a less ornate similar model, the run of twenty ref 1578s in black for General Motors. Not a Patek guy myself, but either of these two noir references could find a home in m

It's a 17''' SAV (savonette) PS (petite seconde) caliber Has already been said the pocket watches which houses this caliber.. If you want to find the same antique and traditional design in a PP wrist movement, you have to look the 12-120 caliber... I thin

. . . and it goes something . . . [image courtesy winddown] . . . like this ref 1543 from the '40s, or, better yet, one of the black-dialed ref 1578s produced for General Motors in the '50s. Perhaps there's a cache of cal 12-400 movements in the attic ;-)

This is an interesting watch, and may very well be a rare Patek, or possibly an extravagant fake. This is one reason I enjoy collecting these older pieces - finding that rare diamond is a thrill. Without seeing the watch itself, or a photo of the movement