Results for Patek Philippe

SJX Podcast: Time for Quartz?

A Cartier Cheich selling for US$3.38 million has put quartz in the spotlight, but does the huge result mean much for the broader market? On the latest episode of the SJX Podcast, we discuss the appeal of unusual Cartier shapes and why Patek Philippe’s new Gondolo “Ladies First” makes a practical case for quartz at the high end. Brandon also shares impressions from a visit to Manufacture La Joux-Perret, where solar quartz calibres account for a quarter of annual movement production. Despite the Citizen-owned manufacture’s Japanese technical foundations, these calibres are almost entirely Swiss-made, with more hands-on assembly than one might expect. We also discuss A. Lange & Söhne’s upcoming Singapore exhibition, dedicated to chronographs and classic cars. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

The Art of Cloisonné at Patek Philippe

For some eight decades, Patek Philippe has been an important patron of cloisonné enamel, commissioning work that helped sustain the craft when demand for it had all but disappeared. From the enamel maps of Louis Cottier’s world time watches to the signed dials of Anita Porchet, its commissions trace a history of both the technique and the changing recognition of the artists behind it. Today, demand for artisanal dials, particularly those in cloisonné enamel, is at an all-time high. In May 2026, a Patek Philippe wristwatch sold for about US$10.2 million at an auction in Geneva, as collectors competed for a dial featuring a map of South America made with gold wire and enamel. The outcome ended up making headlines. The watch was a ref. 2523 from 1953, and the artist responsible for the dial — supplied by Stern Frères — remains anonymous. The Patek Philippe ref. 2523, with South America map. The story of cloisonné enamel at Patek Philippe is also one of artistic patronage. By choosing subjects, commissioning enamellers and eventually allowing them to sign their dials, the Genevan watchmaker has acted as a curator, shaping a body of work that reflects both its own tastes and the talents of individual artists. Drawing in fire Cloisonné is only one of several enamel techniques. Cloisonné begins with gold wire. The enameller bends it by hand, sometimes working with wire just 0.05 mm thick, to draw the design on the dial. The resulting compartments, or cloisons — Fren...

Five Watches to See at Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milano 2026

The Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milano 2026 is a Patek Philippe extravaganza that’s on show until October 18 at CityOval, a restored 1920s sporting complex. Hundreds of timepieces populate the over-30,000 sq ft space, including 99 from the venerable Patek Philippe Museum. But some watches stand out, for reasons ranging from artisanal beauty to historical significance – here’s five worth paying attention to. Starting with the present day are a duo from the Rare Handcrafts collection put together specifically for this event. These are proof that beauty is both rare and expensive – each is a one-off and costs about US$800,000. The first is the Rare Handcrafts Pocket Watch ref. 995/147G-001 “Venetian Cruise” that is literal: the reverse depicts a journey across the waters of Venice from the perspective of a passenger on a runabout, perhaps a Riva. The scene is something of a modern riff on classical painting depicting the entrance to the Grand Canal of Venice. The wood deck of the boat is actually wood – the dial has over 330 pieces of wood forming the marquetry motif. The lake and buildings, which include the Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, are in miniature enamel painting. The juxtaposition of techniques and intricacy of the work make this a particularly compelling piece. In contrast, the front of the watch is functional and almost no-frills, yet entirely appropriate. The dial is modelled on the instruments on the dashboard of a boat, explaining the funct...

Bring a Loupe: An Orvis Solunagraph, An Omega DeVille Emerald, A Lip Mach 2000 Chronograph, And A Patek Philippe Calatrava

Welcome to Friday, Baller. We're in busy times, what with the weather changing, and, at least in the States, we're enjoying an embarrassment of riches movie-wise, with a new Sorkin movie just having opened and two incredible new movies—The Only Living Pickpocket In New York and You Can See Everything premiering next Friday. I, for one, am already stocking up on popcorn. Scorekeeping last week's picks, the Lucien Piccard Telephone and the Mappin and Webb watches remain available, while the Omega Admiralty and JLC Master Mariner have both sold. Strays I don't know if "understated bling" is a thing or not, but if such a category exists, it is absolutely where this Piaget Protocole in white gold from Rare Birds belongs. If Seiko's announcement of its newest panda chronograph whetted your appetite, here's an awfully great vintage Wittnauer two-register chronograph on auction from Loupe This, which, no, isn't as cute and lacks ears for pushers, but is still a great watch. Should you, after reading more down below about Abercrombie & Fitch watches, find yourself in the market for a vintage alarm watch from the brand, look no further. Photo courtesy of Rarebirds. Vintage lesser-known great-looking diver? Absolutely. Interesting vintage Rolex Prince? Why not. On the one hand, I've never seen any LeCoultre chronograph configured like this one. On the other hand: everything appears correct—signed dial and movement, appropriate wear, etc.—so who knows. Finally, for those who wan...

SJX Podcast: Rolex London, Patek Philippe Milano

On the latest episode of the SJX Podcast, SJX returns from London and Milan with impressions of two very different demonstrations of watchmaking’s biggest names at work. Rolex’s “Four Seasons” Daytona auction broke the record for the biggest charity watch auction in history, raising nearly US$50 million, but a longer run-up might possibly have pushed the result even higher. In Milan, Patek Philippe unveiled the ref. 5978P, pairing an instantaneous perpetual calendar with its manually wound chronograph. The exhibition’s Rare Handcrafts and Italian-market limited editions also offer plenty to debate, from remarkable pocket watches to a Ferrari-red minute repeater. Finally, we discuss highlights from Marteau & Co’s fourth online auction, which runs from October 8-15th. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.  

Interview - Thierry Stern on Heritage, Craftsmanship, and the Future of Patek Philippe

Last Friday, the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition opened its doors in Milan, and at the moment of opening, more than 45,000 people had already registered to visit the exhibition. The Grand Exhibition in Milan is the seventh and by far the biggest of all Grand Exhibitions that Patek Philippe organised. The vast number […]

Last Week in Watches: Patek Philippe Takes Milan, G-Shock Turns to Blue Sapphire

New releases from Patek Philippe, Nomos, Dennison and more

Patek Philippe takes over Milan, while NOMOS, Hamilton, Hanhart, G-SHOCK and more headline this week’s biggest new watch releases.

Patek Philippe Gondolo Ladies First Ref. 7043: Six New Versions Debut in Milan

Patek revives the Ladies First name with an ergonomic Gondolo case, quartz movement, and a diamond ladder that goes as far as you're willing to climb.

Patek Philippe Reference 5978P: The Seventh Perpetual Calendar Chronograph in 187 Years

A Milan exclusive, a platinum case, and an instantaneous perpetual calendar chronograph that marks only the seventh such reference in Patek Philippe history

Ladies First: Patek Philippe Debuts Gondolo 7043

Patek Philippe expands its feminine offerings with the Gondolo Ladies First ref. 7043 in white and rose gold with the option of diamonds, or even more diamonds. Housed in the Gondolo case with ergonomic articulating lugs and powered by a simple, well-decorated movement, Patek Philippe pitches the inaugural quartz Ladies First model as an easy-to-wear, design-led watch for a discerning (and well-heeled) clientele. Initial thoughts The Gondolo Ladies First launches alongside a new marketing campaign, helmed by London ad agency Leagas Delaney, responsible for the well known generations campaign and the famous slogan, “You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation”. Until now, “Ladies First” meant complicated watches, including the 2009 debut of Patek Philippe’s excellent hand-wound chronograph calibre, as well as a perpetual calendar and a minute repeater. In this context, a two-hand quartz watch is another first. The selection available at launch is arguably more characterful than the quartz-powered Twenty-4 models, and strengthen Patek Philippe’s catalogue in a segment that the industry has long overlooked. The indices on both the regular and jewellery models deserve special mention — the use of trapeze-cut stones, rather than more common rectangular baguettes, was, to my eye, a make-or-break decision for these dials, and Patek Philippe made the right choice. But, as usual for the brand, the value proposition may be ...

Patek Philippe Captures Italian Splendour in Enamel and Marquetry

It was just a few months ago that Patek Philippe unveiled a wide range of Rare Handcrafts at its Geneva salon, but that hasn’t stopped the brand from releasing another full slate of Dome Clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches at its Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan. The brand’s capacity for artistic craft is vast, as is the selection of motifs, which is not limited to Milan. Subject matter ranges from miniature views of the Amalfi coast to Byzantine mosaics, with Italian architecture, landscapes and decorative arts supplying the common thread. Table and Dome Clocks The Table Clock ref. 25028M-001 “City of Milan” is a natural place to start since it puts the host city at the centre of the collection. Its map spreads across the dial and curved side panels, with the Duomo picked out in gold using paillonné enamel. Keeping the streets aligned as they pass between the three surfaces is one of the more demanding aspects of Patek Philippe Table Clocks, which are a staple of the brand’s Watch Art exhibitions. About 11 m of gold wire outlines the districts, filled with blues, greens and turquoises over barleycorn guilloche. The translucent flinqué enamel allows the underlying texture to remain visible, while opaque white distinguishes the principal roads. Four lozenge-shaped markers on the bezel serve both as quarter-hour indications and compass points. The “City of Milan” is a limited edition of three pieces. The Dome Clock ref. 20180M-001 “Ravenna” takes...

Introducing: The Patek Philippe Reference 5978P - A Brand New Perpetual Calendar Chronograph! (Live Pics)

Reporting directly from Milan, we have a brand-new watch from Patek Philippe, and man, this is a big one. For only the seventh time in the 187 years of the world's most important high-end watchmaker, we have a new perpetual calendar chronograph! The 1518 was shown in 1941, the 2499 in 1951, the 3970 in 1986, the 5020 (forgot about that one, didnt ya!?) in 1994, the 5970 in 2004, and the 5270 in 2011 – which means this new watch, the reference 5978P, is only the second to be shown in my entire career covering this space. So you can imagine how excited I was to hear about it! Say hello to the 5978P. For only the seventh time in 187 years, we have a new perpetual calendar chronograph!  What you're looking at is something so familiar, and yet so different. It is the first hand-wound perpetual chronograph to feature an instantaneous calendar mechanism, all shown in windows along a curved arch at the top of the dial, making the watch immensely legible, much more so than any previous PPC to date. The instantaneous jumping – which happens within 30 milliseconds – is one heck of a party trick.  If you're thinking this looks like something you may have seen in the 5208 or 5308 Grand Complications, you'd be exactly right. The long and short is that Patek has taken that ingenious instantaneous perpetual calendar mechanism from its big, big dog watches and applied it to the base chronograph caliber CH 29-535 that powers Patek's finest watches. It makes a shocking amount of sen...

Introducing: Patek Philippe Revisits The Ladies First With The New Gondolo (Live Pics)

What We Know: Milan is one of the world's great fashion capitals. At the Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milano, Patek Philippe fittingly unveiled the Gondolo Ladies First, a collection that revisits a significant modern women's watch for the brand while taking a decidedly different approach to its execution. The new collection comprises six versions of the Ref. 7043, all sharing the same 31 x 34.8mm cushion-shaped case. Three feature diamond-set dials, while three Joaillerie versions take gem-setting considerably further, with the dial, case, and lugs covered in diamonds. The watches are available in rose gold, white gold, or a combination of both, with colorful straps and gemstone hour markers, offering the most obvious departure from the more restrained watches that inspired them. That inspiration is the 2009 Ladies First Chronograph Ref. 7071, a watch that marked an important moment in Patek Philippe's history with women's watches. Patek Philippe had, of course, been making women's watches for well over a century. In fact, its first wristwatch—created in 1868 for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary—was a ladies' watch. But the 2009 Ladies First watch achieved something else. It brought Patek Philippe's new in-house CH 29-535 PS chronograph movement to a watch designed specifically for a woman's wrist. At the time, the watch made something of a statement. Patek Philippe was putting serious mechanical watchmaking at the center of a watch created intentionally for women, rather ...

Introducing: Patek Philippe Launches Six More Limited Editions With Two New References In Milan

When it comes to collecting vintage watches, all roads lead back to Rome. Literally. Well, Rome’s home country, at least, where the passion for horology (and vintage Patek Philippe) permeates the culture, and has done so for decades, in a way that you really can’t find anywhere else. Add to that Milan’s status as fashion capital of the world, and it makes sense that Patek Philippe would host the seventh Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan. The free exhibition (with reserved tickets) is meant to celebrate the art of watchmaking viewed through the lens of the craftsmanship (both technically and artistically) of Patek past and future. It opens tomorrow, October 2, and runs until October 18. As is tradition, the brand has launched new watches to celebrate the moment—7 new limited editions and 25 Rare Handcrafts models using various métiers d’art.  Ben wrote about the big news of a new manual-wind perpetual calendar chronograph (limited to 120 pieces) here. We'll also be sharing all the Rare Handcrafts pieces soon in a Photo Report from Milan. But while they're not all new references, the new treatments of a few pretty outstanding watches deserve their own story. First things first, all of these watches are ostensibly for the Italian market. But hey, better to have loved and lost (...out on a chance to buy them) than to never know they existed. As of launch, Patek has not released pricing for this model. We will update the article when more information becomes avail...

First Look - The Patek Philippe 5978P-010 Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Limited Edition Milano 2026

Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibitions are important milestones for the brand, offering a unique opportunity to showcase its savoir-faire, heritage and exceptional métiers d’art to both an audience of watch enthusiasts and the wider public. Especially for these exhibitions, Patek Philippe introduces special and limited editions; sometimes even introducing new watch references, movements or […]

Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcrafts Take an Italian Grand Tour

Complicated Calatravas Headline Patek Philippe Exhibition

Patek Philippe has just unveiled a suite of new limited editions for the Italian market, which make their debut at the brand’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan. While the showstopper is the new instantaneous perpetual calendar chronograph ref. 5978P, Patek Philippe has expanded its range of complicated Calatravas with the Minute Repeater ref. 7047G, a new variant of a format that launched during Watches & Wonders, and the Perpetual Calendar ref. 7147G, which applies the brand’s familiar cal. 240-based perpetual calendar to a carbon-embossed Calatrava for the first time. Rounding out the selection of limited editions for the Italian market is the white-dialled time-only Calatrava ref. 7007G, a new Aquanaut ref. 5167 in stainless steel, and two variants of the World Time Minute Repeater ref. 5531G with enamel dials produced by Anita Porchet’s studio. Calatrava Minute Repeater ref. 7047G-010 While Patek Philippe is not an official partner of Ferrari, the vivid red dial feels distinctly Italian, suiting the Northern Italian location of the event. The colour makes it part of a trio of Calatravas in the colours of the Italian flag, but also has a connection to the history of this particular branch of the Calatrava family, making the automotive association more interesting than a passing resemblance to a red sports car. This generation of Calatrava, distinguished by its embossed “carbon” pattern dial and contemporary Arabic numerals, dates to the limited edition ref....

Introducing - The Gradient Blue Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167A Limited Edition Milano 2026

Among the 7 newly unveiled limited editions from Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan 2026 (October 2-18, 2026) is a steel Aquanaut 5167A distinguished by a touch of Italian sporty-chic elegance… And as you would expect from a limited-edition Aquanaut, it is sure to attract the attention of collectors and aficionados alike. One of […]

Patek Philippe Debuts 6 New Gondolo Ladies First Watches in Milan

Patek Philippe Releases Seven Limited Editions at Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan

Introducing - The Trilogy of Patek Philippe Calatrava for Milano Grand Exhibition 2026

Continuing its tradition of presenting timepieces alongside major exhibitions, Patek Philippe introduces a selection of limited editions for the Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan 2026. Among these is a trio of Calatrava watches, each echoing one of the colours of the Italian national flag and designed on the basis of the Calatrava 6007: green, white, and […]

Patek Philippe’s 5978P Steals Milan Spotlight

Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition has just opened in Milan, three years after its last residency in Tokyo. The regular exhibit pops up in a new city every few years, and serves as a local demonstration of the brand’s prowess across complications and métiers d’art. For the Milan edition, the flagship new release is the Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 5978P-010, which combines the instantaneous perpetual calendar system from the ref. 5207 with the brand’s manually wound cal. CH 29-535 chronograph movement. Visually, this combination of elements resembles the more upscale ref. 5208, but without the minute repeater functionality. Debuting in platinum, the blue-and-red ref. 5978P is limited to 120 pieces, but additional (non-limited) variants seem likely at some point in the future. Initial thoughts Patek Philippe was the first brand to combine the perpetual calendar and chronograph complications in a wristwatch. This breakthrough came surprisingly early in the history of the wristwatch — the fabled ref. 1518 debuted all the way back in 1941. Since then, this format has become almost synonymous with the brand. The ref. 5978P builds upon this legacy without retreading the same territory. For one thing, the watch eschews the familiar triple calendar dial layout of the refs. 1518, 2499, 3970, 5970, 5270, and their cushion-shaped and split-seconds variants. Instead, the dial adopts the layout of the ref. 5208, characterised by three calendar windows across...

Introducing the Patek Philippe Ref. 5978P Milano 2026 Limited Edition

Introducing - The Two Patek Philippe World Time Minute Repeater 5531G Limited Edition Milano 2026

Among the special editions revealed for the Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan 2026 are two variants of the reference 5531, first introduced in 2017 and since occupying a particular place in the modern collection. The 5531 brought together two complications strongly associated with the manufacture: the World Time display, rooted in the Louis Cottier tradition, […]