Exceptional novelties from Patek Philippe
A surprising addition to its line-up of new timepieces is a one-of-a-kind complicated desk clock
HAS PATEK PHILIPPE GONE BACK in time? At the recently concluded Watches and Wonders fair, the luxury Swiss brand unveiled a new desk clock – not unlike those that graced elegant homes in the 1920s – that it described as an “exceptional” piece.
No, the acclaimed watchmaker hasn’t run out of ideas. If anything, it was a whimsical nod to a simpler time, amid the impressive line-up of 14 novelties unveiled at the show – all eye-catching works of art and mechanical ingenuity.
Here are some of the key pieces to look out for, including Patek’s one-of-a-kind desk clock that you’ll wish you could bring home.
Ref 27000M Complicated Desk Clock Rare Handcrafts
Part of Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcrafts collection, this new desk clock is inspired by two similar ones that were made for American collectors in 1923 and 1927, respectively. Back then, they were perpetual calendars with a power reserve of eight days.
This new complicated desk clock took seven years to develop and has nine patents pending, making it a far more sophisticated perpetual calendar. Combined with week-number indication, it ticks to the beat of a hand-wound movement that boasts 31 days of power reserve. (A perpetual calendar correctly displays the date non-stop, taking into account different lengths of the months as well as leap years.)
A “precision regulator” fixed with a patented constant-force mechanism in the movement ensures stable performance of the clock, which has an accuracy rate of plus 1 to minus 1 second per day. It is housed in a beautiful sterling silver cabinet, with green enamel panels in a swirling guilloche pattern. Like its 1923 predecessor, winged lions guard the cabinet’s four corners.
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Price: S$1,706,400
Ref 5308G-001 Minute Repeater. Split-Seconds Chronograph. Instantaneous Perpetual Calendar
Not only does the “exceptional” Quadruple Complication watch flaunt three high complications, two of them – the split-seconds chronograph and instantaneous perpetual calendar – also beat most of their peers.
First seen at the Tokyo Watch Art Grand Exhibition in 2023, the watch is powered by a new movement built to meet the heavy energy needs of the split-seconds chronograph. A patented isolation mechanism in the movement also prevents energy wastage; it blocks the chronograph from guzzling energy when it is inactive.
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Thanks to two patented mechanisms in the instantaneous perpetual calendar, the indications can jump in 30 milliseconds in the four day/date/month/leap year apertures – even with a residual power reserve of 10 days.
A stunning ice blue dial looks out from the fully polished 42 mm wide white gold case, held by skeletonised lugs. The case-back is made of solid white gold, or sapphire crystal. The watch is worn with a shiny navy-blue alligator strap with a patented triple-blade foldover clasp in white gold.
Price: S$1,791,700
Ref 5328G 8-Day Power Reserve. Instantaneous Day And Date
The new model from the Calatrava collection, which is known for its simplicity and elegance, runs on a new hand-winding movement with twin barrels supporting a power reserve of eight days. A ninth “reserve” day is displayed in red on the arched indicator at 12 o’clock to alert the user that it is time for winding.
The movement, nestled in a 41 mm white gold case, took five years to develop. It is notably distinguished by a Pulsomax escapement with Silinvar escape-wheel and lever, initially developed as part of the Patek Philippe Advanced Research programme. Thanks to the instant jump day and date mechanism, the day-date displays jump instantaneously at midnight.
The new movement allows for time adjustment at any hour, be it day or night, backwards or forwards, or even in the transition through midnight, with no risk of damaging the movement. A “stop-seconds” function lets you set time to the nearest second.
Ref 5328G showcases an original layout for the displays, set against a blue dial with a black gradient rim. The power reserve indication is visible on a sundial at 12 o’clock, while the day aperture, date hand and subsidiary seconds dial together form a group at 6 o’clock. Apart from making the watch easier to read, this arrangement along a vertical axis also gives it a unique personality.
The case features the hobnail Clous de Paris pattern, which first appeared on a Calatrava model in 1932. While this emblematic decoration originally graced the bezel, it now adorns the case band. The lugs are attached to the case back, instead of the side like most timepieces, allowing the Clous de Paris motif to wrap elegantly around the entire case band.
The watch may be paired with a navy blue calfskin strap with fabric pattern and cream stitching, or a grained taupe calfskin leather.
Price: S$102,400
Ref 7340/1R Perpetual Calendar
It’s taken more than a quarter of a century – 26 years, to be exact. Launched in 1999, Patek Philippe’s first – and still only – women’s collection, the Twenty~4, has finally received a high complication. The perpetual calendar, including a moon phase, is the very first for the line, the brand confirms.
As if to ensure nothing distracts from it, the timepiece is devoid of any sparkly decorations. Patek Philippe adds that it’s the first round Twenty~4 without any gem setting.
Despite its simplicity, Ref 7340 is an attractive, slim (9.95 mm thin) watch, dressed in full rose gold, including the bracelet. The fully polished 36 mm rose gold case frames a sunburst olive green dial, and is powered by a self-winding movement with a power reserve of 48 hours. It also comes in full rose gold with a silvery dial, featuring a double horizontally and vertically satin-brushed shantung-style finish.
Price: S$174,100
Ref 7128/1G Date. Sweep Seconds
Barely six months after it rolled out the Cubitus, Patek Philippe is expanding its latest collection with a mid-sized model.
The Cubitus is identified by a two-part square-shaped case with round edges. The first three models came in a big 45 mm case – one with instantaneous grand date, day and moon phases in platinum, while the other two have central seconds and date in steel, or steel and rose gold.
The new addition, a seconds-date timepiece in full white gold, including the bracelet, has a 40 mm white gold case. The dial is an elegant sunburst blue-grey, in a horizontally embossed pattern. Beating within is an automatic movement with stop-seconds function for setting the time to the precise second. The new mid-sized model is also available in rose gold with a brown dial.
Price: S$110,900
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