At Watches & Wonders 2024, Patek Philippe unveiled a complication-flooded catalogue of new World Timers, Perpetual Calendars, and revamped icons, with inspirations heavily tilting towards travel.
Being nearly 185 years old, Patek Philippe still embraces their spirit of experimentalism while staying true to their heritage. On one end of the spectrum, we see Patek Philippe boast their legacy of world timer mechanical mastery while oppositely, strapping their perennial favourite Aquanauts in raw denim. Patek Phillipe being an independent brand, has always run their own race – their offerings strive to reassert history and craftsmanship heritage, rather than chase market trends. Their new 2024 catalogue is simply a testament to this philosophy. Bonus: The iconic Golden Ellipse returns this year with a rose gold bracelet.
Here’s an overview of every new Patek Philippe watches launching this year.
World Time With Date Ref. 5330G-001 – The World Is Yours
Looks familiar? That’s because Patek Philippe previously introduced us to this watch at last year’s “Watch Art” grand exhibition, in Tokyo. While at first, we all believed this one ought to be a limited edition, it turns out not. Housing Patek’s calibre 240 HU C, it’s capable of indicating local date in addition to the 24-hour day/night indication for each time zone. With a classic white gold case measuring 40 millimetres, the dial is blueish-grey opaline with a checker-board carbon pattern. The new local date is indicated using a glass hand with its tip dipped in striking red. What’s also interesting is the leather, hand-stitched, denim strap with features a gold fold-over clasp.
Grand Complications 5520RG Alarm Travel Time – A Whirlwind Of Complications, Cast In Gold
Five years ago, Patek Philippe’s addition of an alarm and date wheel for the Ref. 5520P was a pleasant surprise. It was these complications that allowed Patek Phillipe to explore new territories and rightly title them ‘grand complication’ travel timers. For 2024, Patek Phillipe introduces the 5220RG with a stunning 42.2-millimetre rose gold case that features a grey sunburst dial with white gold indexes. Inside, the self-wound Calibre AL 30-660 SC FUS powers the 24-hour chime + gong alarm. It’s also capable of indicating local and home time zones with day/night indication. This is strapped on with chestnut-hued leather with a rose gold clevis prong buckle.
Grand Complications 5160/500R Retrograde Perpetual Calendar Rare Handcrafts – Vintage Patek, Revived
Rewinding the clocks to the roaring 1920s, when Patek Philippe unveiled the masterful Ref 91975 – the world’s first perpetual calendar timepiece. Cast of gold, it was elegantly engraved and featured a humble white dial. Roughly 90 years later after eons of innovation cycles have passed, Patek recalls this spirit of vintage suave. Its influence can be found in 2024’s Retrograde Perpetual Calendar.
Patek calls this a ‘Gentleman’s case’ for featuring the original hinged caseback coupled with a silvered opaline dial – a signature Patek Phillipe Grand Complications trait. The dial, bezel, case, crown and lugs, are all adorned by regal hand-engraving treatments, inspired by a pocket watch from Patek Philippe’s Museum. The movement inside is a self-winding 26-330 S QR which indicates the day, leap-year cycle, and month. There’s also a retrograde hand sweeping between eight and four o’clock which indicates the date.
Grand Complications Ref 5236P Perpetual Calendar – Salmon Dials For Good Measure
Back in 2021, the world was introduced to the first Ref 5236P, which mechanically was in a league of its own, having its day, date, and month windows alongside each other at 12 o’clock – putting four disks in total at work (two disks required to indicate date). In order for this to function, Patek had to additionally install 118 components, all cramped up within bare millimetres of space. For 2024, the new 5236P is cased in a 41.3-millimetre platinum case which features an opaline rose-gilt dial with white gold hour indexes. The ultra-thin self-winding 21-260 PS QL also indicates the leap-year cycle, day/night, and boasts a moon-phase display.
Complications 5396G Annual Calendar Moonphase – Legend Reborn With A Fumé
The eternal Annual Calendar Moonphase has been consistent proof of Patek Philippe’s penchant for mechanical mastery right since its debut in 1996. We’ve witnessed a flurry of variants over the years including platinum, yellow and rose gold cases and experiments with Breguet numerals, Patek Phillipe baton markers, and various shades of dials. For 2024. Patek Philippe presents this icon in a 38.8-millimetre white gold version with a deep blue sunburst fumé dial. We also see twelve baguette diamond hour indexes (0.26 carats) and a 24-hour sub-dial with an integrated moon-phase window at six o’clock. All of this is powered by the self-wound calibre 26-330S QA LU 24H which indicates day, date, month, moon-phase, 24-hour, and sweep seconds.
Nautilus 5980/60G Flyback Chronograph – Back In Blue
After discontinuing a fan-favourite Nautilus 5980R – a rose gold chronograph with mono-counter tracking 60-minute and 12-hour counters down at six, Patek revives this icon in a white gold case and well, a blue denim-textured strap! The case and bezel and distinguished by contrasting satin and polished finishes. Housing the Calibre CH 28-520 C/522 which boasts a flyback chronograph, we see the same 60-minute and 12-hour monocounter on display with a date window at three o’clock. The dial is horizontally embossed with white gold indexes. All of this is strapped in hand-stitched calfskin which boasts a denim-esque design.
Aquanaut 5164G Travel Time – New Colours for An Icon
Previously spotted in a rose gold and brown dial/rubber strap combo, Patek gives this Aquanaut a colour refresh for 2024. With a new white gold case measuring 40.8 millimetres, its opaline blue-grey dial receives the signature Aquanaut embossing with white gold indexes. The self-winding Calibre 26-330 SC FUS tells local and home time with day/night indication.
Aquanaut 5296R Travel Time – Dance Of Contrasts
Departing from its usual bedazzlement and hyper-complications, Patek Philippe keeps this Aquanaut simple, clean, and fuss-free. With a 38.8-millimetre Rose Gold case measuring a mere 8.77 millimetres thin, it houses a Quartz calibre E 23-240 S FUS 24H. Indicating local and home time with day/night indication. There’s an elegant dance of contrasts between the golden case blue opaline dial and composite clasp.
Aquanaut 5268/461G Luce Haute Joaillerie – A Chandelier On Your Wrist
Bedazzling through this year’s catalogue is the 5268/461G Aquanaut. With 72 baguette sapphires (5.29 carats), 38 baguette diamonds (2.03 carats), and 160 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.71 carats), Patek Philippe reaffirms their heritage stature of being a haute joaillerie maestro. Cased in 38-millimetre white gold, the dial is paved with a flurry of baguette-cut diamonds and sapphires forming a checkerboard pattern – recalling the Aquanaut’s emblematic pattern. The blue sapphire hour indexes are surrounded by snow-set brilliant-cut diamonds. Inside, rests the self-winding calibre 26-330 S.
Golden Ellipse 5738/1R – Lost Art, Rediscovered
The Ellipse is truly a relic of a lost era – Clean mid-20th-century curves fused with contemporary minimalism. Adding to its allure, the artisans at Patek Phillipe have endowed it with a new solid rose gold woven bracelet. Comprising of 363 unique pieces, it’s strung in place with an engraved clasp which pays a fine tribute to the 1970s. In terms of its ultra-thin oval dimensions, it measures a modest 34.5 millimetres across, cast in rose gold. The dial, sunburst ebony black features rose gold baton-style indexes. This Ellipse is powered by a self-winding calibre 240.
Twenty~4 4910/1201R – Layered Mysteries
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Twenty~4 ladies’ collection, Patek unveiled a chic, quarts cuff-style stunner which boasts a highly unique dial. With a dial plate first embossed with a concentric wave pattern, it’s then coated with dozens of successive layers of translucent purple lacquer. After which, a layer of transparent lacquer is poured in – and polished, it creates an elegant play of light, and adds depth. The rose gold case measures 25.1 millimetres x 30 millimetres and boasts two rows of 17 brilliant-cut diamonds (0.63 carat) set on either side.
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