Patek Philippe at Watches and Wonders 2024

One of the greatest sanctuary of watchmaking, the Patek Philippe booth hid almost a dozen new models this year. Providing high quality options for various formal and functional requirements, novelties emerged in various collections, including the Grand Complications, Complications, Aquanaut, Nautilus, Golden Eclipse and Twenty-4.

From April 13 to 27 2024, the public and connoisseurs have the chance to discover, in the historic building on the rue du Rhône, the new Patek Philippe ‘Rare Handcrafts 2024’ exhibition, with a total of 82 timepieces combining technical prowess with unlimited creativity. Live demonstrations by different artisans are a feature of the event. Visitors are invited to register online beforehand here. The ‘Rare Handcrafts 2024’ will then be presented, from June 7 to 16, in the Patek Philippe Salons in Bond Street, London. 

World timers

Ref. 5330G-001, World Time with a Date, Complications line

A new generation of World Time emerged last June in Tokyo, when Patek Philippe introduced the Ref: 5330G-010 model among six Tokyo special and limited edition timepieces they prepared for the event. The new World Time Date came in a polished white gold case and a plum-colored dial in a 300 pieces batch. The true particularity was that the date indication became synchronized with the local time, meaning that it jumps forward if you travel across midnight into a new time zone, or backwards if you cross the International Date Line (in the middle of the Pacific Ocean) from west to east. The local time in the city at 12 o’clock is indicated by the central hands, while the red tip of a glass hand is running below the date numerals at the perimeter. As you change the local time on the world timer, the red lacquered stripe moves back and forth under the above conditions.

At the Watches and Wonders, Patek Philippe made the model generally available under reference 5330G-001. The difference is the denim blue colouring, which lends a far more relaxed look to the timepiece. The dial is opaline blue-gray with a “carbon” pattern and baton-style faceted white gold luminescent hour marker appliqués. The case is white gold with 40mm diameter and the strap is hand-stitched denim pattern calfskin with a white gold fold-over clasp.

The new movement is the Caliber 240 HU C, which is based on the 3 Hz ultra-thin self-winding 240 HU powered by a micro rotor.

Ref. 5520RG, Alarm Travel Time, Grand Complications line

The Ref. 5520RG takes the travelling experience one step further by adding a 24-hours alarm of a chiming style with a classical hammer and gong. The timepiece was introduced in 2019 as 5520P-001 with the 4 Hz AL 30‑660 S C FUS self-winding movement in platinum. The 2024 novelty is a colour variation with rose gold case and grey sunburst dial and charcoal grey white gold numerals.

The pushers at 8 and 10 o’clock advance the travel local time forwards and backwards in one hour increments. The tiny circular windows with LOCAL and HOME captions mark the AM / PM  in the respective time zone. The pusher at 2 o’clock activates and deactivates the chiming alarm system, the time of which is displayed in an aperture just below the 12 hour numeral. It can be set in 5 minutes increments on the crown at 4 o’clock. A third circular aperture indicates if the alarm time is morning or afternoon, while the bell if the alarm is active or not.

Ref. 5164G, Aquanaut Travel Time, self-winding

The 2016 rose gold – brown 5164R edition received now an opaline blue-gray white gold sibling. The size and the functionality are exactly the same. The opaline colour works very well with the Aquanaut. I already loved the Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar last year, but this time it is paired with a white gold case. In terms of travelling time function, the caliber 26‑330 S C FUS provides the same user experience as the previously mentioned 5520RG, but this time in a smaller 40.8 mm diameter housing. Date is coupled with the local time and shown at 6 o’clock by a hand.

Ref. 5269R, Aquanaut Travel Time, quartz

The opaline – rose gold combination comes back in the quartz 5269R Aquanaut Travel Time. Instead of pusher setting, caliber E 23‑250 S FUS 24H offers the travel time adjustments via the crown. The rose gold case is 38.8mm in diameter and 8.77mm in thickness, therefore it sits very well on the wrist. 

Calendars

Ref. 5160/500R, Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Rare Handcrafts, Grand Complications line

The ref. 5160, released in 2010 in yellow, white and pink gold, recalls Patek Philippe’s early pocket watches, which were often adorned by rich engravings. The motifs that are reminiscent of Belle Époque style flow over the dial, the bezel, the case middle, the crown and continue on the hinged case back and even the fold-over clasp and the screws of the lugs. The different gold colour options have came and gone in the catalogue and this year Patek Philippe presents a rose gold version with a silvery opaline dial. The self-winding Calibre 26-330 S QR provides a perpetual calendar function with a retrograde central date hand.

Ref. 5236P, In-line Perpetual Calendar, Grand Complications line

Inspired by the Patek Philippe’s perpetual calendar pocket watches of the mid-20th century that displayed the month, date and day in a single line (eg. Ref. 725), the ref. 5236P was first introduced at the end of 2021. The sleek Caliber 31‑260 PS QL was housed in a platinum case and came with a graduated deep blue dial. The date information is displayed by two discs (day of the week, month and two rings around them (date first digit, date second digit). The tens (0-3) are repeating 5 times on the first ring, while the ones (0-9) twice on the right.

The novelty is also made of platinum, but the dial is opaline rose-gilt and has charcoal grey white gold applied faceted baton-style hour markers. Just like the 2021 model, a diamond is set between the lower lugs.

Ref. 5396G, Annual Calendar, Complications line

Staying with in-line calendar displays, but at a reduced mechanical complexity, Patek Philippe issued a new interpretation of their 5396G Annual Calendar. The company’s probably best selling complication has been around since 1996, and due to its user friendly layout this reference has become a signature model. 

The new version builds on the automatic Caliber 26‑330 S QA KU 24H, which is set to operate in a 32.5mm white gold case behind the sunburst blue dial with black-gradient rim. The hour markers are baguette cut diamonds. The alligator leather strap shares the deep blue colour of the watch face.

Chronographs and time-only pieces

Ref. 5980/60G, Nautilus Flyback Chronograph

The denim style goes underwater as it returns on the novelty in the Nautilus collection. The timepiece shares the white gold case and opaline blue-grey dial shade combination we’ve seen on the 5330G-001 World Time, but it looks more robust thanks to the sporty Nautilus case. Beyond the calfskin denim-patterned strap, the watch is delivered with an additional blue-grey composite material strap with fabric pattern. 

Inside is the self-winding 4 Hz Caliber CH 28‑520 C/522, which offers a flyback chronograph function that is visible through the large central second hand, and the concentric 60-minute and 12-hour sub-counters at 6 o’clock. 

Ref. 5738/1R, Golden Ellipse

The last two pieces are beautiful dress watches. In 1968 Patek Philippe launched the Golden Ellipse design, inspired by the golden ratio. The over 60 different references had become highly popular in the jet-set society of the 70’s. The line welcomes now the first metal bracelet addition the 5738/1R. The fine rose-gold chain bracelet makes the timepiece even more elegant. Sunburst ebony black over the the 18k gold dial plate enhances the warmth of the rose gold case. Slim cheveu-type hands indicate time with the baton-type applied hour-markers, all in rose gold. The precise motion of the hands are taken care by the ultra-thin automatic Caliber 240.

Ref. 4910/1201R, Twenty-4

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Twenty-4 collection, Patek Philippe presented the purple lacquered and embossed pattern dial cuff-style rose gold 4910/1201R model at the fair. The dial is surrounded by two rows of diamonds on each side, sharing the same width as the rose gold bracelet which is curved and polished. The sophisticated timepiece is operated by the quartz Caliber E 15.

Photo credits: Loupiosity.com
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