In Part 1 of Sound Investments: The Genius of Patek Philippe Minute Repeaters, we covered the heritage and innovations perfected by the Genevan manufacture. Today, Part 2 will cover the advancements and mechanical technologies heralded by the birth of the Calibre 89.…
Waxing poetically about moon phases has gotten me excited enough to take a trip through certain “phases” of engineering excellence . Here we bring you the eight most accurate moon phases currently fitted into a wristwatch. Join us on this odyssey through space and time.
At Patek Philippe, chronographs are something considered with an almost clerical serious. From the extremely complex split-seconds or perpetual calendar versions – or even both – to the most simple variation, all of them are extremely desirable. One thing to note in the actual collection is a sort of back to basics, with cleaner and more elegant watches, slightly vintage inspired – something we’ve seen with the 5370 or the 5270. Launched in 2010, with a first evolution in 2013, followed by a stronger lifting in 2015, the 5170 undergoes this year its largest cure of youth, becoming the Patek Philippe 5170R Chronograph, with 2 new references in rose gold – and one older reference being discontinued. But don’t expect a revolution. As usual, the devil is in the details.
When the little known Patek, Czapek & Cie first founded the now eponymous Patek Philippe in 1839, it was with scant knowledge that their humble maison on Quai de Bergues, Geneva would become a purveyor of high horology. After all, the year of their founding was likely reminiscent of our own witnessing of the first iPhones; we had taken…
When thinking about the archetype of the round Swiss watch, the first names that come to mind might very well be Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin. As the custodians of Geneva’s watchmaking tradition, influenced by the sober protestant spirit, both brands stand for subtle, understated elegance. However, beyond the design conventions dictated by the round wristwatch, Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin have in common a long, rich legacy of shaped watches. After Cartier, Monochrome brings together a (non-exhaustive) selection of shaped watches from Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin.
World Timers are among Patek Philippe’s most popular complications, with a history spanning over almost 80 years (thanks to the collaboration with Cottier). A cult status confirmed at Phillips May 2016 auction, when a rare Patek 2523/1 from 1954 achieved US$ 2.5 million. At Baselworld 2016, Patek Philippe introduced two new models featuring this practical function, the 5930 World Time Chronograph and the 5230, replacing the now iconic reference 5130. Monochrome takes a closer look at this new take on an icon.
Ever wonder how watches got their names? A few weeks ago we told you about the brand names and their origin. Today we’re going to look at the watch model names. With hundreds of past and present watches, what has been the inspiration for watchmakers and brands to call them certain names? Some are pretty …
There are many watch designs out there: from different case designs to even varying dial patterns. Aesthetics is a realm littered with the corpses of dated designs with time’s passage, while others remain as classics. Few are the designs which remain fashionable after decades of existence, and these legends of timeless design…
Today’s Spot the Watch features actor Jonah Hill and his recent appearance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. We know Jonah Hill has a love of Rolex timepieces as we have seen him with different modes such as the Submariner and the Daytona on his wrist. We spotted a familiar brand on his wrist while watching a clip from the show on…
The Patek Philippe Nautilus shot to fame for its iconic case design and was easily one of the most expensive regular production steel watches of its time. So iconic is the poster watch combination of steel and blue dial that the Patek Philippe Nautilus remains one of the most sought after collections after more than 30 years in production.…