TIME AS JEWELLERY

This is not an evolution but a design revolution! The feminine Twenty-4 launched in 1999 is given a radical change of shape to house an automatic calibre.

Until this year, the Twenty-4 model by Patek Philippe was famous for its elegant rectangular design. The brand wanted to give a new look to the watch, with a 36mm-wide case available in steel or pink gold. Whichever metal you choose, the chamfered bezel still shines out with the assistance of 160 diamonds. Depending on the version, the dial comes in a deep blue colour, shades of grey, a bright and sunny chocolate brown or a delicate motif recalling the texture of wild silk. The watch has two baton-style hands and large Arabic numerals. The simple display provides easy reading of the time information in all lighting conditions. The watches are all worn with a strap made of the same material as the case. A set of curved links and a folding clasp give them the flexibility to guarantee comfort.

It’s worth noting that a rose-gold, jewelled version of the Patek Philippe – Twenty-4 Automatic is available, and set with 479 diamonds: 208 on the bezel and the lugs, 13 on the crown and 258 on the strap.

Price: 23,660 EUR (steel) – 41,150 EUR (pink gold) patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT AND LISTEN TO

With this new model, Patek Philippe has launched the first universal travel watch with a minute repeater chiming at local time.

In 2017, Patek Philippe organised an exhibition in New York, Art of Watches. Among the 450 timepieces to admire, nine limited editions were previewed before release. One stood out in particular due to its unique mechanism. For the first time, the watchmakers unveiled a minute repeater coupled with a universal time mechanism. In concrete terms, this means you can see at a glance what time it is on the five continents, and a bell chimes, reminding you what time it is when you are travelling. These two perfectly designed complications call for a remarkable degree of technical skill. It takes no less than 462 components to guarantee the impeccable results of the self-winding calibre R 27 HU. The crown is used to set the time or wind the watch. A monopusher at 2 o’clock selects the home city. At 9 o’clock, a function button activates or stops the bell chime.

This exceptional watch is elegant down to the smallest details. So the 40.2mm-wide rose gold case features a Clous de Paris guilloché pattern made by hand and is worn with a chocolate brown alligator leather strap.

Price on request patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

GOOD TASTE IN ORIGINALITY

Why make things complicated when you can keep them simple? With this model, Patek Philippe shows how you can break free of the conventions. We take a closer look.

On the dial of a chronograph, you often see a whole host of information laid out more or less stylishly. The simplest watches feature two totalisers in bicompax position, but most have three. By introducing this complication to the Aquanaut collection for the first time, Patek Philippe really stands out from the rest. A single totaliser, for the minutes, is displayed at 6 o’clock. Its shape echoes the octagonal bezel with its rounded angles. The totaliser’s orange minute track adds dynamic presence. Short-time measurements are made using the second hand, also coloured orange. This choice of colour ensures perfect readability, setting up a clear contrast with the black dial. A date counter in the regular position at 3 o’clock rounds off the time information.

Price: 39,710 EUR patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

HONOURING THE DRESS CODE

The slimmest timepiece of the manufacture’s current collections, dazzling with its most exquisite finery, is set to become the must-have beguilingly-glamorous masculine accessory.

The 5738 model has been gloriously celebrated in the world of watchmaking for some 50 years now standing out with the ever-so unique oval shape of its case. Unveiled in 1968 by Patek Philippe in a fusion marrying a yellow gold case and a blue dial, the watch epitomized the then standards of luxury. It was then proposed over the years in a myriad of material and colour compositions. A Jumbo-sized 34.5×39.5 mm platinum version, presented for the model’s 40^th anniversary, imposed and impressed on the wrist. This year, the 5738 is showcased with the same format but this time round adorns rose gold and an ebony-black sunburst-finished dial. The dial is delicately brushed by baton-style hour and minute hands fashioned in the same material as the case. This 5738R-001 model exemplifies pure elegance down to the very last detail. The crown is set with a black onyx cabochon. And only the presence of delicate indexes accentuates this incredibly-understated harmony.

The fine 5.9 mm-thick timepiece is driven by an ultra-slim self-winding mechanical movement. The calibre 240 offers the piece at least 48 hours’ power reserve.

To heighten its graceful style even more, the Golden Ellipse 5738R-001 is paired with a glossy-black alligator strap. And, to ensure the immaculateness of evening attire, Patek Philippe proposes cuff links featuring the same dashing black and rose gold which will add the final touch to your favourite dinner jacket.

Price: EUR27,980 patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

EYEFUL OF BLUE

Not a revolution, but an evolution… The brand has skilfully produced an Annual Calendar model for a matchless aesthetic result that is very much in keeping with the times.

In 2010, Patek Philippe first launched its Annual Calendar 5205G-013 in a grey gold model with two variations in grey and black tones. At Baselworld 2018, the brand unveiled a new version with a subtle dial coloured blue in the centre and edging towards black near the outside. For the time information, three sub-dials are set in the arc of a circle and showing the day, date and month. At 6 o’clock, a secondary dial displays the moon phases and an extra 24 hour indicator making it easier to set the calendar. New dauphine-style lume-coated hour and minute hands move around the dial and point towards grey-gold hour markers. These design choices add a touch of modernity to an elegant and simple piece.

The 5205G-013 model replaces the previous watches in the Patek Philippe catalogue, and comes with a gloss-black alligator leather strap. The collection still includes the two rose-gold versions.

Price: 43,520 EUR patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

PRECIOUS AND TIMELESS

With this new version of a standard in luxury watchmaking, the brand continues its quest for excellence with the inclusion of noble materials.

The 5270P-001 is worn with an alligator leather strap featuring chocolate-coloured, square scales to highlight its aesthetic elegance.

Price: 169,750 EUR patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

GREAT FIRST LADY

Patek Philippe adorns the wrists of elegant and demanding travellers with a sublime model equipped with a second time zone and self-winding movement.

In 2015, Patek Philippe unveiled a Calatrava Pilot Travel Time with a style taking inspiration from pilot’s watches with large, easy-to-read figures on the dial. The brand even equipped it with a second time zone so that travellers could easily check their local and home time. This year, during Baselworld, we were introduced to a feminine version with the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time reference 7234R-001 built around a 37.5mm-wide case. Driven by the same automatic movement, the calibre 324 S C FUS, it features the same time display on the dial. Two large hands coated with luminous material show the time where you are now. A third, skeleton hand, indicates the time where you come from. A smaller hand points out the date in a counter at 6 o’clock. To round off the information, two symmetric indicators show whether it is day or night in the two time zones with a white or midnight blue colour.

This first traveller’s watch in Patek Philippe’s women’s collection stands out through its warm colours. The brown black tones on the dial combine beautifully with a vintage calf’s leather strap and with the dazzling and fine elegance of the pink gold case.

Price: 39,090 EUR patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

PERPETUAL ELEGANCE

With an inspired design by Gérald Genta, the Nautilus sails through time without ageing. In fact, it’s just as attractive as ever! And here’s the proof with this first great complication…

In 2016, Patek Philippe celebrated the 40^th anniversary of its elegant Nautilus sports watches. The manufacture introduced a series of limited editions that stood out, among other things, for their appealing aesthetic signature – a blue sunburst dial. To the joy of the aficionados, the same colour now adorns the new Nautilus reference 5740/1G-001, unveiled at Baselworld 2018. But this model not only attracts the eye, but is also remarkable because it features the first major complication in the range: the automatic movement is designed to drive a perpetual date display.

The watch owner can read the day and a 24-hour display on a counter at 9 o’clock. In a counter at 3 o’clock are the current month and the cycle of leap years. Rounding off the time information, the counter at 6 o’clock includes the moon phases, with no correction necessary for the next 122 years. The counter is encircled by the date scale.

All these elements are powered by the extra-flat calibre 240 Q, which, when wound, will provide up to 48 hours of power reserve. The mechanism has attracted attention for many years since it was used in cushion-shaped watches and in Calatrava-type watches. To fit it snugly into the unusual design of the Nautilus, the watchmakers had to change the position of the correctors, making them more accessible on the body of the grey-gold case (40mm wide and just 8.42mm thick). The Nautilus reference 5740/1G-001 comes with a strap with a polished, satin finish and a folding clasp made in the same material for unmatchable elegance.

Price: 105,000 CHF patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

URBAN SPORTS STYLE

Launched in 1997, the Aquanaut has been given fresh charms to celebrate its anniversary. The result? A new look with a more modern and elegant style.

This year, Patek Philippe is celebrating the 20^th anniversary of the Aquanaut collection with a new model, the 5168G. It has kept the elegant sports look, but for the occasion has been specially dressed in grey gold – a first! The silhouette is still familiar. We can find the octagonal bezel set off with satin finishes on the top and polished finishes on the sides. On this anniversary edition, the dial impresses with its gradient midnight blue colour, a distinctive sign of the Nautilus, going from a relatively light colour at the centre to a darker hue at the edges. And this is not the only reference to the older model, since the 42.2mm-wide case is also a homage to it. The size of the case is the same as the original’s, nicknamed Jumbo by collectors.

The Aquanaut 5168G is worn with a composite strap in a colour and checked pattern echoing the dial. The material guarantees top-level resistance to wear and tear, salt water and ultraviolet rays. The symbol of the Genevan watchmaker, an engraved Calatrava cross, embellishes the grey-gold folding clasp.

Price: €34,980 patek.com

By Dan Diaconu

A BEAUTIFUL BLEND OF COMPLICATIONS

“Grandes complications” are one of the renowned Genevan brand Patek Philippe’s specialities. This year the Grand Complication 5316P-001 has grabbed our attention!

One of Patek Philippe’s strengths is its signature classic watch designs and there’s no denying that the independent Genevan watch brand also specialises in designing “grandes complications”. The Grand Complications 5316P-001 is no different and captures both these features.

Just some of the complications in this timepiece are the minute repeater, tourbillon, alarm with two gongs (trigger mechanism built into the case), perpetual calendar with retrograde date hand, moon phase, small seconds hand and a display for the days at 9, months at 3 and leap years at 12. We should mention that leap years appear with the Roman numeral IV or Arabic 4.

The square-scaled alligator strap is hand-sewn and its glossy black hue is one that we’re not used to seeing on our wrists but fits in beautifully with the lugs and case on the Grande Complication 5316P-001. The black enamel dial with gold applied markers is hugged by a 40.2mm case whose 18 carat gold plaque makes the timepiece shine even brighter. It houses a mechanical manual-wind movement that’s 8.61mm thick and beats at 21,600 vph. It is honoured by the brand as it is engraved with the Patek Philippe seal.

Price: on request patek.com

By Isabelle Guignet