Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Patek Philippe Celestial Ref. 6105G (Plus Technical In-Depth)
We're on the eve of one of Patek Philippe's biggest events every few years: the October 2nd to the 18th presentation of the brand's Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan. On Monday, I'll be flying there for a preview of the exhibition, so stay tuned for stories from that trip coming in the near future. Another story, which has been waiting in the wings and in progress for some time now, was a hands-on look at two of the most surprising (and potentially divisive) releases from Patek this year: the Cubitus perpetual calendar and the Celestial ref. 6105G. While all eyes were on the Nautilus's 50th anniversary, I thought Patek Philippe had a very interesting Watches & Wonders, at least from the perspective of bold releases and brand strategy. Truthfully, they could have done just about anything with the Nautilus, and those lucky enough to get a watch would have been happy. The Celestial alone was a wristwatch with a complication only four other brands have created. But just take a look at the two watches above and the two below. While I didn't get to see the ref. 7047G in person, it raised eyebrows for the very unusual blue tire tread-style dial (à la ref. 6007G) and remarkably strong orange accents and luminous hands and dial placed on a minute repeater that retails north of $570,000. It was perhaps so aesthetically surprising that it distracted people from the fact that Patek was honoring its past with a Calatrava-cased minute repeater reminiscent of the unique ref. 3652 and ...