Plus a new bracelet for the Golden Ellipse.
Patek Philippe, the Grand Dame of the watch industry, has released its 2024 lineup, with a real focus on world timers, from a new Alarm Travel Time and a regular production version of the first World Time watch to feature a date display synchronized with local time, over to sportier inclusions from Nautilus and Aquanaut lineups though. For vintage fans, though, the biggest surprise might well be the return of a bracelet to the Golden Ellipse.
Calatrava Pilot Alarm Travel Time 5520RG
Offering an unconventional take on two-tone is the rose and white gold Alarm Travel Time 5520RG is an impressive chiming piece that first debuted back in 2019. Offering a Patek-like medley of impressive complications, backed by the Caliber AL 30-660 S C FUS, this 42.2mm watch offers a 24-hour alarm that chimes with a classic gong (along this accounts for four patents) and enough in-aperture information to make this mechanical watch read more like a digital clock. Most of the case is rose gold, but there’s flashes of contrast with the white gold pusher tubes. Additionally, the grey sunburst dial is a work of technical, complex perfection.
Calatrava Pilot Alarm Travel Time 5520RG specifications
Movement:Movement: Caliber AL 30-660 S C FUS, automatic, max. 52 hours of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, second time zone, date coupled to local time, 24-hour alarm with on/off indicator, alarm time displayed in aperture, alarm day/night display
Case: Rose gold and white gold, 42.2 by 11.6mm, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Gray sunburst, charcoal gray white gold applied numerals with luminescent coating
Strap: Calfskin, chestnut with vintage finish, rose gold clevis prong buckle
Rare Handcrafts Retrograde Perpetual Calendar 5160/500R
Officer cases, with their straight lugs and hinged caseback covers, are something of a speciality at Patek Philippe, and this latest example shows off the brand’s many skills. Based on 2016 white gold version, which itself was inspired by a piece in the Patek Philippe Museum. This extravagantly hand-engraved case features foliage and volutes, which makes the rose gold all the richer. This model does have a movement upgrade from the white gold version (now discontinued); the 26-330 S QR offers various quality-of-life improvements, which are welcome in a perpetual calendar.
Rare Handcrafts Retrograde Perpetual Calendar 5160/500R Specifications
Movement:Movement: Caliber 26-330 S QR, automatic, max, 45 hours power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, perpetual calendar with retrograde date hand, Day, month and leap year in apertures, moon phase
Case: Rose gold, 38 by 11.81mm, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Silvery opaline, hand-engraved center, blackened white gold applied Breguet numerals
Strap: Alligator leather with square scales, hand-stitched, patinated brown, hand-engraved rose gold fold-over clasp
In-Line Perpetual Calendar 5236P
Another evolution from a 2021 release is the 5236P, a stunning In-Line Perpetual Calendar with a salmon-adjacent rose gilt dial that is the perfect pairing with the 3448-inspired case (that’s Patek’s first QP from 1962). While the original version was in deep (and quite contemporary) gradient blue, the more nostalgic warm tones of the 5236P are perfect. What hasn’t changed is the movement, the slender 31-260 PS QL, which has been equipped with a smartly designed module that allows the key calendar displays to be read in a neat line. The 41.3mm case is relatively thin at 11.07mm, and made from platinum.
In-Line Perpetual Calendar 5236P specifications
Movement: Caliber 31-260 PS QL, automatic, max. 48 hours power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, In-line perpetual calendar, leap year and day/night indication in apertures, moon phases
Case: Platinum, 41.3 by 11.07mm, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Opaline rose-gilt, charcoal gray white gold applied faceted baton-style hour markers
Strap: Alligator leather with square scales, hand-stitched, shiny chocolate brown, platinum clasp
We first saw Patek Philippe’s Caliber 240 HU C, a world timer with a local date feature, debuted at Tokyo’s Grand Exhibition. Now, it’s been made available — maybe not to everyone, but at least it’s a regular catalogue addition. Here we’re seeing the blue-grey dial and denim-look leather strap that appears to be something of a motif for the brand this year (see below). IIt also has the brand’s ‘carbon’ pattern dial and a white gold stepped lug case. It’s an interesting mix of old-world charm and contemporary style, which is pretty on-brand. It’s not every day we get a bone fide new reference, so it’s something worth celebrating.
World Time Date 5330G specifications
Movement: Caliber 240 HU C, automatic, max. 48 hours of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, world time, date
Case: White gold, 40 by 11.57mm, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Opaline blue-gray with “carbon” pattern, white gold applied faceted baton-style hour markers
Strap: Calfskin, hand-stitched, denim pattern, blue-gray, white gold clasp
Annual Calendar Moon Phases 5396G
Eschewing the blue grey dial for the deeper gradient blue, this new white gold version of the Annual Calendar Moon Phases joins the rose gold version. You’ll need to look a little closer to the 5396G to spot the other standout feature on the dial – baguette hour markers. It’s an elegant feature and the perfect cherry on top of an already elegant watch. It’s worth noting that the calibre here, the 26-330 S QA LU 24H, is an upgrade on previous versions and adds in hacking seconds and other improvements, apparently focused around the winding mechanism. The annual calendar, for those of you unaware, sits between the complete calendar and a perpetual, as it only needs to be adjusted once a year, at the end of February.
Annual Calendar Moon Phases 5396G specifications
Movement: Caliber 26-330 S QA LU 24H, automatic, power reserve max. 45 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, day, date and month in apertures, moon phase, 24-hour indication
Case: White gold, 38.5 by 11.2mm, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Sunburst blue with black-gradient rim, baguette-cut diamond hour markers (0.26 ct)
Strap: Alligator leather with square scales, hand-stitched, shiny navy blue, white gold clasp
Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R
The cachet of the 70s-chic Golden Ellipse has been rising in recent years, and while it never left Patek Phillipe’s catalogue, it’s always nice to see a solid update to this most elegant of the brand’s collections, and the return of an appropriately OTT bracelet is certainly an update. This new Ref. 5738/1R features a chain-style bracelet comprised of 363 elements, of which more than 300 links are mounted by hand. It’s hard to overstate how common this is in contemporary watchmaking, and it looks set to be one of the best bracelets in the business of its style. On top of this, the case is a slender 5.9mm, making it the thinnest watch in the catalogue. The rose gold and sunburst ebony details make this the connoisseur’s choice.
Golden Ellipse Ref. 5738/1R specifications
Movement: Caliber 240, ultra-thin, automatic, 48 hours of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes
Case: Rose gold, 34.5 by 39.5mm, 5.9mm thick, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Sunburst ebony black, rose gold applied baton-style hour markers
Strap: Rose gold bracelet
Nautilus Flyback Chronograph Ref 5980/60G
While the rank hysteria around the Nautilus has calmed down somewhat in the last few years, it’s still an incredibly desirable model, and the Nautilus Flyback Chronograph Ref 5980/60G will be no exception, even factoring in the eyebrow-raising denim strap. Except it isn’t really a denim strap, it’s denim-patterned calfskin, which is wild. The opaline blue-grey dial fits the denim aesthetic of this white gold watch. The Nautilus, of course, defined the luxury sports watch, and this latest take on the Flyback Chrono model (first introduced in 2006) is a great example of how Patek Philippe is keeping up with shifting definitions of casual luxury.
Nautilus Flyback Chronograph Ref 5980/60G specifications
Movement: Caliber CH 28-520 C/522, automatic, max. 55 hours power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes, date, flyback chronograph
Case: White gold, 40.5 by 12.2mm, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Opaline blue-gray, horizontally embossed, white gold applied baton-style hour markers with white luminescent coating
Strap: Calfskin, hand-stitched, denim pattern, blue-gray, additional composite material, fabric pattern, blue-gray included
Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G
Keeping with the faded blue theme is the white gold Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G, which is a smart, on-brand update for one of the best travel watches in the business, offering distinctive looks and ease of use. It’s also the latest step in the always-evolving Aquanaut lineup and fills the whole left by the 5164A. This casual traveller joins the 5164R-001 in rose gold, while the fan-favourite steel 5164A-001 is departing from the catalogue.
Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G specifications
Movement: Caliber 26-330 S C FUS, automatic with max. 45 hours of power reserve Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, second time zone, day/night indicators for local and home time
Case: White gold, 40.8 by 10.2mm, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Opaline blue-gray, embossed Aquanaut pattern, white gold applied numerals with white luminescent coating
Strap: Composite material, blue-gray, patented fold-over clasp in white gold
Aquanaut Travel Time 5269R
One of the more recent additions to the Aquanaut family is the smaller, 38.8mm travel time, powered by a quartz movement. You can make a persuasive argument for quartz as the perfect type of movement for a dedicated travel piece, and the ease of use, along with the slender profile of this rose gold number, makes for an even more compelling offering. And yes, in case you’re wondering, Patek Philippe does finish their quartz calibres, at least with perlage and Geneva stripes.
Aquanaut Travel Time 5269R specifications
Movement: Caliber E 23-250 S FUS 24H, quartz
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, second timezone, day/night indication
Case: Rose gold, 38.8 by 8.77mm
Dial: Opaline blue-gray, embossed Aquanaut pattern, rose gold applied numerals
Strap: Composite material, blue gray, patented fold-over clasp in rose gold
Aquanaut Luce Haute Joaillerie 5268/461G
If you like sports watches and lots of rocks, we’ve saved the best to last. This high jewellery take on the Aquanaut comes decked out with 72 baguette-cut sapphires, 38 baguette-cut diamonds, and 160 brilliant-cut diamonds, all in a white gold case. it’s an absolutely astonishing effect, the alternating blue and white realising a radiant take on the Aquanaut dial design. There are even a few diamonds on the patented white gold fold-over clasp.
Aquanaut Luce Haute Joaillerie 5268/461G specifications
Movement: Caliber 26-330 S, automatic, max. 45 hours of power reserve
Functions: Hours, minutes seconds
Case: White gold, 38.8 by 9.1mm, water-resistant to 30M
Dial: Paved with baguette-cut diamonds and sapphires, baguette-cut sapphire hour markers, and hour ring set with diamonds (snow setting)
Strap: Composite material, dark blue, patented diamond-set fold-over clasp in white gold
