As a highlight to “The Art of Watches Grand Exhibition New York 2017”, Patek Philippe created nine limited special editions of ladies’ and men’s watches that manifest the manufacture’s in-depth expertise in all of its facets. The company will also present a rich collection of rare handcrafts watches. These timepieces showcase the most beautiful artisanal skills and are decorated with motifs dedicated to the city of New York and the United States of America.
• Patek Philippe World Time Minute Repeater Ref. 5531 New York 2017 Special Edition
The new Ref. 5531 debuts at the exhibition in New York. It is the first Patek Philippe watch that unites the two complications that epitomize the manufacture: a minute repeater and the World Time function. In merging these complications, Patek Philippe succeeded in implementing an even more important innovation. Unlike other World Time minute repeaters that acoustically indicate home time even when their owners are located at the other end of the world, the Ref. 5531 always strikes local time, which means the hour displayed by the hands from the center in that time zone represented by the city aligned with the 12 o’clock position on the dial. To accomplish this feat, Patek Philippe developed the new self- winding caliber R 27 HU movement. A patent application has been filed for its unprecedented design. The 462-part movement is protected by an elegant rose-gold case with pierced lugs. Its caseband is hand-guilloched with Patek Philippe’s iconic hobnail pattern. The dial is adorned with a cloisonné enamel motif, true to the tradition of Patek Philippe’s World Time watches. This little masterpiece of craftsmanship pays tribute to New York and depicts the Manhattan skyline by day and by night. The new Ref. 5531 World Time Minute Repeater New York 2017 Special Edition consists of two 5-watch versions – five with the “New York by Day” dial and five with the “New York by Night” dial. All watches have a sapphire-crystal case back with the engraved inscription “PATEK PHILIPPE NEW YORK 2017” as well as an interchangeable back in solid rose gold with the same engraving.
• Patek Philippe Men’s World Time Ref. 5230 New York 2017 Special Edition
Patek Philippe’s famous World Time function also takes center stage in the Ref. 5230 New York 2017 Special Edition men’s wristwatch. The 300 watches of this limited series are endowed with the self- winding caliber 240 HU movement. The elegant timepiece has a white-gold case with a smooth, chamfered bezel and a dial with an opaline blue center: its embossed motif depicts the same Manhattan skyline that adorns the center of the Ref. 5531. The city disk and the 24-hour disk (with day/night segments) permanently display the time in all 24 time zones. Thanks to an exclusive patented Patek Philippe mechanism, the time zone can be adjusted at will simply by actuating the pusher at 10 o’clock. This simultaneously corrects the city disk, the 24-hour disk, and the hour hand from the center. The hour hand is delicately skeletonized and shows the silhouette of the “Southern Cross” constellation, a hallmark reserved exclusively for World Time watches. The shiny navy blue alligator leather strap is subtly color- coordinated with the center of the dial. The sapphire-crystal case back is engraved with the inscription “PATEK PHILIPPE NEW YORK 2017.”
• Patek Philippe Ladies’ World Time Ref. 7130 New York 2017 Special Edition
Patek Philippe also offers its travel companion to ladies. The Ref. 7130 World Time watch New York 2017 Special Edition is available in two 75-timepiece editions, one in white gold, the other in rose gold. The relief-embossed skyline of New York adorns the opaline blue dial center just like the Ref. 5230 men’s model. It is illuminated by the fire of the bezel set with 62 flawless rare white Top Wesselton diamonds (~0.82 ct) complemented by 27 diamonds (~0.21 ct) on the prong buckle that secures the dark blue alligator leather strap. The lavishly finished self-winding caliber 240 HU movement can be admired through a sapphire-crystal case back with the engraved inscription “PATEK PHILIPPE NEW YORK 2017”.
• Patek Philippe Men’s Calatrava Pilot wristwatch Ref. 5522 New York 2017 Special Edition
Cased in steel – rare for a watch outside the casually elegant collection –, the grand taille Ref. 5522 Calatrava Pilot New York 2017 Special Edition comes in a limited 600-watch edition and features an exclusive dial reminiscent of vintage Patek Philippe aviator’s watches. Its inimitable blue color recalls the livery of American fighter planes in the 1930s. The large applied Arabic numerals in white gold and the broad baton hands in blued steel have a luminescent coating that assures excellent legibility around the clock. The brown calfskin strap with contrast stitching was inspired by the harnesses paired with classic flight suits. The stainless steel clevis prong buckle resembles the belt buckles that pilots used to secure their survival kits. The self-winding caliber 324 S can be admired through the sapphire-crystal back decorated with the engraving “PATEK PHILIPPE NEW YORK 2017”.
• Patek Philippe Ladies’ Calatrava Ref. 7200/50 New York 2017 Special Edition
The Ref. 7200/50 Calatrava New York 2017 Special Edition is a ladies’ wristwatch that projects sleek elegance. It features an ultra-thin white-gold Officer’s-style case with straight lugs and a mother-of-pearl dial with diamond hour markers. It is available in two limited-edition versions of 75 watches each – one with a white mother-of-pearl dial and a shiny peacock blue alligator leather strap ((Ref. 7200/50-010)), the other with a blue mother-of-pearl dial and a shiny blue-gray alligator leather strap ((Ref. 7200/50- 011)). The ultra-thin self-winding caliber 240, which celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2017, can be admired through the sapphire-crystal case back with the engraved “PATEK PHILIPPE NEW YORK 2017” inscription.
• Patek Philippe Ladies’ Minute Repeater Ref. 7000/250 New York 2017 Special Edition
Patek Philippe combined sublime watchmaking prowess with gemsetting artistry when it created the Ladies First Minute Repeater in a 3-watch limited edition. The Ref. 7000/250 New York 2017 Special Edition stands out with a blue enamel dial that sparkles with the fire of diamond hour markers. Its white-gold case features a “Flamme®” setting composed of 160 flawless Top Wesselton diamonds (~0.64 ct). This setting technique, proprietary to Patek Philippe, amplifies the radiance of the precious stones. The ultra-thin self-winding caliber R 27 PS sounds the hours, quarter hours, and minutes on two gongs when the slide in the case flank is actuated. The navy blue alligator leather strap is secured by a white-gold prong buckle set with 26 diamonds (~0.18 ct). This irresistibly feminine grand complication comes with a sapphire-crystal case back and an interchangeable solid white-gold back, both with the engraved “PATEK PHILIPPE NEW YORK 2017” inscription.
As the guardian of grand Genevan traditions, Patek Philippe is committed to safeguarding all of the artisanal techniques with which timepieces have been decorated for over 400 years. For the 2017 exhibition in New York, the manufacture has created an opulent collection of 17 extraordinary rare handcrafts pieces – dome table clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches – that salute the USA and New York. They all reflect a broad spectrum of ancestral savoir faire. The palette includes manual engraving or the art of creating a vibrantly lifelike motif on a case. Enameling artistry with many different techniques: miniature painting on enamel, cloisonné enamel, champlevé enamel, pailloné enamel, grisaille enamel with Limoges white, Limoges enamel painting. The art of guilloching animates timepieces with elegant geometric engravings. The magic of precious stones and the jeweler’s art. Wood marquetry for fantastic dials with incredibly delicate details.
• Patek Philippe Dome table clocks New York 2017
Dome table clocks offer a perfect format for refined decorations in cloisonné enamel using transparent, opaque, and opalescent enamel paints. Patek Philippe follows this tradition on “The Gold-Seekers”, a one-off piece with a panning scene in which gold spangles represent the gold nuggets and silver spangles the reflections on the water. On the “Brooklyn Bridge by Night” table clock, the artist captured the nocturnal seductiveness of New York with grisaille enamel and Limoges white. Gold powder as well as gold and silver spangles accentuate the finesse of this piece. The “Baseball” table clock takes finesse a step further. It even reproduces the timeworn effect of old baseball cards with portraits of famous veteran players. This requires extreme virtuosity in Limoges enamel painting and its transparency effects.
• Patek Philippe Pocket watches New York 2017
The case backs of these one-of-a-kind watches pay tribute to the history, culture, and a number of the most beautiful landscapes of the USA. Examples include the manual engraving of the “Pittsburgh” pocket watch according to an antique motif, miniature painting on enamel for the “Apsaalooke Sentinels” model, and wood marquetry for the “Bald Eagle” watch. Some of the pocket watches feature combinations of these rare skills in perfect harmony. To name but a few: “Mount Rushmore” (miniature painting on enamel and hand engraving), “Portrait of an Indian” (hand engraving and wood marquetry), “Wild Horses” (cloisonné enamel and hand engraving), “Yosemite Valley” (miniature painting on enamel and hand engraving), “Napa Valley” (miniature painting on enamel, hand engraving and guilloching) or “First Steps on the Moon” (wood marquetry and miniature painting on enamel). The “Manhattan-Brooklyn” model, a unique piece, salutes New York with a case back ad a dial in cloisonné enamel paired with miniature painting on enamel. Both sides depict the same cityscape, once by day and once by night. Each of these watches comes with an exclusive hand-crafted and richly decorated stand.
• Patek Philippe Wristwatches New York 2017
For watch aficionados and collectors in the USA, Patek Philippe is introducing several Calatrava wristwatches in limited editions, each with distinctive dial motifs featuring finesse and richness of detail as well as subtle color compositions. Outstanding wood marquetry characterizes the “Grand Canyon” and “Rodeo” watches while the “Jazz” model showcases miniature painting on enamel and refined gold spangle accents. As a special homage to traditional leathercraft that includes carving and stamping techniques, the manufacture is presenting the “Sheridan Style” wristwatch with a fully engraved dial beneath golden brown transparent enamel.