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Philippe Dufour

The Vallée de Joux independent whose Simplicity, Duality, and Grande Sonnerie set the modern finishing benchmark.

In-Depth: The Patek Philippe Victorin Piguet Split-Second Wristwatch Hodinkee
Audemars Piguet Jul 27, 2026

In-Depth: The Patek Philippe Victorin Piguet Split-Second Wristwatch

In our first addendum to our Reference Points video and story on Patek Philippe split-second wristwatches, we looked at Patek Philippe split-second pocket watches and the brand's relationship with its supplier, Victorin Piguet. Switzerland has (and continues to have) the most robust supplier marketplace for everything from complex movements to dials and cases. In the warmer months of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, it was easy enough to just send someone on a short journey to the Vallée de Joux with a letter requesting a movement or other parts and receive one a short time later. These établisseurs all had their own specialties, but few were as important as Victorin Piguet. I'd argue it was far more unusual for Victorin Piguet not to be involved in a watch (such as their absence from the La Grosse Pièce project for Audemars Piguet) than to see their name on supplier lists. So what was their impact on wristwatches? In our video, we focused solely on serially produced models (and even then, there were a few we couldn't get our hands on), all of which started after Patek shifted its production more in-house. One thing we didn't discuss, however, was the history of the brand's first split-seconds wristwatches, which used a Victorin Piguet ébauche. It's no understatement that these watches are among the most important in Patek Philippe's history and among the most coveted for vintage-focused Patek collectors. One-off, bespoke pieces, these watches don't exactly fit...

In Depth: Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Jul 6, 2026

In Depth: Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000

The Star Caliber 2000 occupies a peculiar position in the history of grand complications. It was never the most complicated watch in the world. At its debut it ranked fourth — behind Patek Philippe’s own Calibre 89 and Graves Supercomplication, and the Leroy 01 — and in the quarter-century since, the complexity record has moved further still, most notably to Vacheron Constantin. The complication arms race the Calibre 89 inadvertently triggered ran its full course, and the Star Caliber 2000 was never part of it. What it did instead was something harder to measure and, as it turns out, more durable. It demonstrated that the tradition’s inheritance of unsolved problems — the desynchronised equation, the imperfect melody, and the moon exiled from the sky — was not inevitable. That each problem had a solution. And that the solutions, taken together, produced a different kind of watch: not necessarily more complicated but more coherent; not a larger accumulation of independent mechanisms but an integrated instrument in which every display refers to a single source of truth. The arms race In early 1989, as Switzerland prepared to celebrate the most complicated portable timepiece ever made, the man who had just assembled it returned to his bench. Paul Buclin had spent years assembling and setting up the Calibre 89 by hand — 1,728 components driving 33 complications. Weighing most of a kilogram, the watch itself required its own carrying case. The watch was a monument...

Highlights: Striking Complications from Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet at Christie’s Hong Kong SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet May 21, 2026

Highlights: Striking Complications from Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet at Christie’s Hong Kong

Two leading practitioners of fine watchmaking, Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet face off at Christie’s upcoming Hong Kong auction, Important Watches: Featuring “Kronos: Titans of Time”, “The Eternity” and “The Chronicle” Collections. The catalogue features blue chip high complications such as the Sky Moon Tourbillon, as well as under-appreciated neo-vintage discoveries, and the most striking of this selection doesn’t even chime. Lot 2424 – Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 5002P-001 While Patek Philippe’s Sky Moon Tourbillon started as a supporting act to the Star Caliber 2000, miniaturising the latter’s planisphere with moon passage and phases, its mindshare has far surpassed its larger sibling. It was Patek Philippe’s most complicated wristwatch when first launched, and the super-watch of the 2000s. Collectors entering the watch world during that time speak of it with the same nostalgia and reverence 2000s kids give to the Bugatti Veyron. The design was rather contemporary for early 2000s Patek Philippe, and looks nothing like its successor, the baroque ref. 6002. At 42 mm in diameter, it was also notably large — the ref. 5016 with which shares most of its movement, was only 36 mm in diameter. It was forward thinking in another way, selling an extremely expensive, astronomical complication as an off-the-rack product, continuing Philippe Stern’s “build it and they will come” attitude that began with the Calibre 89. Patek Philippe’...

Hands On: Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5610P and Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin Comparison Apr 27, 2026

Hands On: Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5610P and Vacheron Constantin Overseas Ultra-Thin

Comparison is often said to be the thief of joy, but the numerous attributes of the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5610P and Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin ref. 2500v are arguably best understood in a side-by-side format. The watches are extraordinarily similar — each watch features a platinum case and bracelet, a slim micro-rotor automatic movement, and a rare two-hand, no-date configuration. Beyond their tangible similarities, both watches are limited editions priced within 7% of one another, and were launched to mark milestone anniversaries of their respective collections. Initial thoughts Rarely do rival brands treat collectors to such a perfect match-up. Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin could hardly have done more to go toe-to-toe, and have unexpectedly made 2026 the golden age of the platinum sports watch. The original Patek Philippe Nautilus from 1976 was provocative precisely because it was made in steel at a time when ‘high-end’ still meant precious metal. Five decades later, the steel sports watch trend has arguably peaked, making the stealthy platinum ref. 5610P a fitting tribute. It captures the look of the original without diluting its legacy with yet another steel variant. While Vacheron Constantin has dabbled in steel sports watches since as far back as 1977 with the 222, the Overseas collection only debuted in 1996. Now in its third generation, the Overseas has evolved into a substantive rival to both the Patek Philippe Nauti...

Sunday Morning Showdown: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5610 Vs. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin Fratello
Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin It’s Apr 19, 2026

Sunday Morning Showdown: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5610 Vs. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin

It’s that day of the week again, Fratelli! This Sunday marks the end of a week that brought us a gazillion new watches, two of which go head-to-head today. For this week’s Sunday Morning Showdown, we put two literal heavyweights up against each other. Jorg puts forward the platinum Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin. Meanwhile, […] Visit Sunday Morning Showdown: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5610 Vs. Vacheron Constantin Overseas Self-Winding Ultra-Thin to read the full article.

Patek Philippe Marks 50th Years of The Nautilus with Two Hands and a Pocket Watch SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet stuck Apr 14, 2026

Patek Philippe Marks 50th Years of The Nautilus with Two Hands and a Pocket Watch

Patek Philippe celebrates the semicentennial of its coveted sports watch with the 50th Anniversary Nautilus Collection, a trio of two hand precious metal watches in white gold and platinum – and an unexpected pocket watch desk clock. The deletion of the seconds hand is a return to the line’s aesthetic roots, also demonstrated by a new 38 mm case size, very close to that of the original. But, it remains on the precious metal path Patek Philippe began in 2021 when it axed the steel ref. 5711. Initial Thoughts These anniversary editions are the truest to the original Nautilus that we’ve seen in recent memory. The sans seconds ref. 3700/1A, launched in 1976, was powered by the JLC 920-based cal. 28-355C, which the calibre 240 was meant to replace. While Audemars Piguet stuck to the two hands plug date format with the Royal Oak Jumbo, Patek Philippe migrated the Nautilus to its new sweep-seconds platform. I believe something was lost when Patek Philippe added a sweep seconds hand to the Nautilus, though understandable from a business perspective given that watches with seconds hands generally have broader appeal than those without. That is recovered here, and the deletion of the calendar sets it apart from the original enough to not be a “reissue”. A smaller 38 mm Nautilus, with better proportions than the existing Ladies models, in also appreciated. The 38 mm platinum ref. 5610/1P-001. It is a shame then that the return of a two hand Nautilus is to be a fleeting one,...

Jaeger-LeCoultre Is Trapped Between Status (Rolex) And Prestige (Patek Philippe) Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre Mar 11, 2026

Jaeger-LeCoultre Is Trapped Between Status (Rolex) And Prestige (Patek Philippe)

Perhaps “caught between a rock and a hard place” is a bit of an exaggeration, but it seems that Jaeger-LeCoultre is trapped between status and prestige. A Rolex on the wrist is a status symbol, and a Patek Philippe is the prestigious choice. But what does a JLC on the wrist say about its owner? […] Visit Jaeger-LeCoultre Is Trapped Between Status (Rolex) And Prestige (Patek Philippe) to read the full article.

Off-Catalogue No More: Patek Philippe Reveals Gem-Set Nautilus Collection SJX Watches
Audemars Piguet Feb 2, 2026

Off-Catalogue No More: Patek Philippe Reveals Gem-Set Nautilus Collection

Today, Patek Philippe updated its website to include a slew of formerly off-catalogue haute joaillerie models. While none are revelations, all being well known, their presence in the catalogue reinforces the brand’s commitment to this segment, and reflects how mainstream, relatively speaking, this once-niche genre has become. This move can probably be traced back to Patek Philippe’s 2022 investment in Salanitro, the gemstone giant behind many high jewellery watches from Hublot to Audemars Piguet. Since then, the brand has placed increased emphasis on gem-set watches across its catalogue, such as the “Rainbow” Aquanaut minute repeaters the following year. In other words, it would seem the brand’s gem-setting capacity has matured enough to advertise these models. Long live the ref. 5711 Patek Philippe nominally discontinued the ref. 5711 in 2022, though its many off-catalogue variants escaped that fate. Since 2013, Patek Philippe has offered the platinum ref. 5711/1P-010 to its most important clients, while keeping it out of the official catalogue, but the model’s gem-set siblings are now officially part of the Patek Philippe lineup. The configuration of each of the four references is identical, with a gem-set bezel, baguette-cut hour markers, and a stone-matched centre seconds hand. The stones are approximately the same size across all four models, but the carat weight differs because of the density of the stones. As a result, the ref. 5711/110P-001 features 4.0...

Patek Philippe bucks the trend, decreases prices in 2026 + Vacheron Constantin announces Concours d’Élégance Horlogère Time+Tide
Vacheron Constantin announces Concours d’Élégance Hor... Jan 16, 2026

Patek Philippe bucks the trend, decreases prices in 2026 + Vacheron Constantin announces Concours d’Élégance Horlogère

Two Holy Trinity brands are the focus of this week's FWD, with Patek lowering its prices and Vacheron announcing a unique competition.The post Patek Philippe bucks the trend, decreases prices in 2026 + Vacheron Constantin announces Concours d’Élégance Horlogère appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Fratello’s Top 5 Chronograph Watches Of 2025 - Featuring Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Zenith, And More Fratello
Audemars Piguet Zenith Dec 12, 2025

Fratello’s Top 5 Chronograph Watches Of 2025 - Featuring Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Zenith, And More

Another Friday, another list! This week, we continue the series highlighting our favorite watches of 2025. It’s time for our favorite chronographs. Whereas last week’s list of GMT watches wasn’t easy to compile due to a lack of spectacular options, we were not left wanting this week. If anything, 2025 has given us an abundance […] Visit Fratello’s Top 5 Chronograph Watches Of 2025 - Featuring Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Zenith, And More to read the full article.

Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 Under the Hammer at Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Oct 27, 2025

Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 Under the Hammer at Sotheby’s Abu Dhabi

The Patek Philippe Star Caliber 2000 stands as one of the most technically ambitious pocket watches of the modern era. Launched to mark the turn of the millennium, it was the fourth most complicated watch in the world at its debut, but its true significance lies not in numbers, but in the ingenuity of its mechanisms, which redefined how grand complications could be conceived, engineered, and executed. An original complete set of four Star Caliber 2000 watches is being offered for sale by Sotheby’s at its first-ever watch auction in Abu Dhabi, which takes place in December. The first complete set to ever appear publicly, the sale will likely draw significant attention from collectors and institutions alike. The technical significance of the Star Caliber 2000 The Star Caliber 2000 was and is a remarkable achievement in watchmaking, but it was never the world’s most complicated watch. When it debuted, the Star Caliber 2000 ranked fourth in the official tally of complications, behind the Patek Philippe’s own Caliber 89 and the famous Henry Graves Super Complication from 1932, as well as the lesser-known Leroy 01 from 1904. Over the past quarter century, the Star Caliber 2000 has fallen down the rankings as more complicated watches, for both the pocket and the wrist, have been developed by Vacheron Constantin and Audemars Piguet. But the Star Caliber 2000 should not be judged solely by this kind of ranking, which is largely superficial. The watch is packed with a number o...

Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 6196P-001 SJX Watches
Vacheron Constantin Apr 21, 2025

Hands On: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 6196P-001

Patek Philippe came to Watches & Wonders 2025 with a deep bench of strong new releases, but for fans of the classic Calatrava, the standout was without question the Calatrava Ref. 6196P-001. It’s an easy watch to love, with good proportions, a hefty 38 mm platinum case, a lively “salmon” dial, and is powered by the brand’s latest generation movement. Though the brand was arguably overshadowed this year by its suburban Geneva neighbors Rolex and Vacheron Constantin, at lower and higher ends of the price spectrum, respectively, Patek Philippe demonstrated its ability to deliver in every category, from simple dress and sport watches to mid and high complications. Initial thoughts In February 2017 I was asked what I wished to see from Baselworld that year. I said I’d like to see a successor to the ref. 5196 with a case-filling movement and a large balance. Eight years later, Patek Philippe delivered more or less exactly what I imagined, keeping the proportions and details of the classic Calatrava with a more advanced movement than the outdated cal. 215 that was used at the time. So in a sense, this watch was made for me.  But I had not anticipated a “salmon” dial. Officially labelled “rose-gilt opaline” by Patek Philippe, such dials have become popular among collectors, and are now a staple across the Patek Philippe collection. Naturally, a vivid colour like this helps an otherwise simple watch stand out, but personally I look forward to more toned down iter...

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases - Jorg’s Picks From Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Tudor Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre Apr 10, 2025

Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases - Jorg’s Picks From Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Tudor

Picking highlights from this year’s Watches and Wonders is not a simple task. But it’s a matter of abundance rather than a lack thereof. Watches and Wonders 2025 was a show with many highlights in different categories and at different price points. Nevertheless, I have managed to whittle all these highlights down to my favorite […] Visit Fratello Favorites: The Best Watches And Wonders 2025 Releases - Jorg’s Picks From Patek Philippe, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Tudor to read the full article.

A Contemporary Watch Collector Goes Vintage with Omega, Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre Quill & Pad
Jaeger-LeCoultre Feb 1, 2025

A Contemporary Watch Collector Goes Vintage with Omega, Patek Philippe and Jaeger-LeCoultre

To my longtime friends in the watch hobby, and perhaps to regular readers here as well, the mention of my name may conjure up a number of connotations: patron of the independents, fan of A. Lange & Söhne, admirer of Patek Philippe grand complications, and longtime customer of Jaeger-LeCoultre, among other characterizations more or less favorable. But vintage?