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Introducing Patek Philippe Breaks Out The Métiers

Lots of métiers.

Complications and a certain stainless steel sport watch tend to stir the most excitement at Patek Philippe. But one of my favorite parts of visiting Baselworld was checking out PP's Rare Handcrafts. Each year these unique or highly limited watches and table clocks were on view in the company's booth. They were always worth a look on the way in or out of the ole Patek Philippe appointment. Proudly displayed in vitrines, they weren't the kinds of things you'd see at a typical trade show press meeting. The enamel dials, in particular, remind me of the kind of stunning cloisonné we associate with the mid-century, golden age of watchmaking.

This year, Patek has its richest Rare Handcrafts presentation ever, which will be displayed in the company's Geneva Salon from June 16 to 26 2021. Why so rich? Because it includes the un-seen pieces from 2020, two years of creative output compressed into one.

In this post, we'll go over some of the Rare Handcrafts wristwatches in the Calatrava and Golden Ellipse collections, as well as one fully blinged-out, show-stopper of a Nautilus that we'll save for last. Press pictures will only take you so far here, so if you're in Geneva, be sure to check it out for yourself.


Calatrava

Ref. 5077/100G-043 “Wax Print in Greens”

First up is a Calatrava in white gold, with a dial inspired by the exuberant colors of traditional African wax print fabrics. It features a white gold dial plate that's been hand-guilloched with a pattern of curves, atop of which sit layers of transparent enamel (flinqué). Using segments of 24k gold wire, the enameler makes the shapes that will form the cloisonné decoration, then placing in enamels in nine shades that combine greens, blues, and white. Each dial requires 8 to 10 firings before it's done. Under the dial is the caliber 240 ultra-thin self-winding movement, which can be viewed through the sapphire back.

5077/100R-049, 5089G-101, & 5177G-028 “School of Fish”

The inspiration for this trio of enamel-dialed Calatravas is the synchronous movement of schools of fish, twisting and turning in unison as they evade predators by acting as a monolith. Like the watch above, this trio features dials in cloisonné, in which gold filament separates compartments of different-colored enamel. Each dial you see here underwent 12 to 15 firings in an oven heated to approximately 800 degrees Celsius, and each runs on the ultra-thin Caliber 240 micro-rotor movement. The casework of each shows its own twist on the classic Calatrava design. The 5077/100R-049 is rose gold set with diamonds on its bezel and lugs. Ref. 5089G-10 is endowed with a hinged dust cover. Ref. 5177G-028, in white gold, has Patek's signature guilloché hobnail pattern on its bezel.

5177G-023 “Medieval Ornaments I”

Here, we have a Calatrava with a grand feu cloisonné enamel dial inspired by ornamental motifs of the Middle Ages, like the ones found on illuminated manuscripts. The twisting and turning of the shapes on this dial are contained within the precisely formed gold wire, making this one of the more elaborate and ambitious executions of cloisonné enamel work that I recall seeing. It comes in a white gold case, with a bezel bearing the classic guilloché hobnail pattern. Inside, again, is the in-house cal. 240.

5177G-024 “Falcon Head”

So far, everything we've seen has been formed from cloisonné enamel, but here is something a bit different. The 5177G-024 "Falcon Head" features a remarkably detailed – and realistic – representation of a falcon rendered in wood marquetry. To achieve the image on the dial, the artist cut out 168 minuscule pieces of wood and 200 inlays using 20 species of wood, including maple, boxwood, bur walnut, and grey poplar. Cased in white gold and featuring a hobnail bezel, it too is powered by the caliber 240 movement from Patek Philippe


Golden Ellipse

5738/50G-017 “Medieval Ornaments II”

And here, in a Golden Ellipse wristwatch, we have another cloisonné enamel take on the ornamental design we saw earlier in the Calatrava. Each of these dials had to be fired nine times in an oven heated from 750 to 780 degrees Celsius to make the dial you see above, and like the Calatrava version, it's powered by a cal. 240.

Ref. 5738/51G-001 Golden Ellipse Haut Artisanat

This Golden Ellipse, launching in the current collection, has yet another form of enamel for its dial, champlevé. Recesses created on the 18k gold dial plate are filled with black grand feu enamel to reveal the raised portions above. Those portions are then hand-engraved to give life to vegetal or floral motifs. It's a mesmerizing-looking dial, with all the combined delicacy and strength of an elaborate Art Nouveau gateway. Again, it's powered by the ultra-thin caliber 240 movement with micro-rotor.


Nautilus

Nautilus Haute Joaillerie reference 7118/1450G-001

Can you guess how many Top Wesselton Pure brilliant-cut diamonds have been snow-set into the case, dial, and bracelet of this white-gold ladies Nautilus? It's 2,553, adding up to a bit less than 13 carats. But who's counting? With this random-pavé setting, the gem-setter is free to follow their inspiration, tucking gems of varying sizes among each other, leaving virtually no space empty. I don't see any room for diamond number 2,554, job well done. Though undoubtedly rare, this white gold piece is launching in the current collection. In the exhibition, there's also a unique high-jewelry Nautilus in rose gold with even more diamonds.

There are more Rare Handcrafts watches than we were able to include in this rundown, and there are plenty of table clocks and complicated pieces as well. So please be sure to check out our other coverage of this launch, and if you're in Geneva, stop by the Patek Salon.

For more, visit Patek Philippe.