I was fortunate to have been invited to work as a de facto member of the Christie's team for that auction where the 2497 and 1526 featured on the front cover of the catalogue (the best catalogue front cover ever?). In fact, the total for that sale was a record breaker at the time for a watch auction helped by the purchase of the 1526 by Patek Philippe (Philippe Stern was in attendance with his then museum curator Arnauld Tellier) and that of the 2497 by Alfredo Paramico after he lost the 1526!. During the preview I was handed both timepieces by Aurel Bacs to place into the vitrine: his words to me, "Baruch, please take $3million of watches and place them in the cabinet". Of course he was only referencing the high estimates in the catalogue. Having handled both watches all those years ago I can vouch for how outstanding they both are, but the steel 1526 is so substantial compared to the standard elegant profile of all other 1526s, that it immediately catches one's attention as something of outstanding design and technical achievement. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to own both a steel 1518 and the 1526.