Patek Philippe at Baselworld 2014. The art of permanent development.
Baselworld 2014
Geneva, March 2014
May 1, 2014, marks the 175th anniversary of the Patek Philippe manufacture. It is self-evident that a
spectacular debut will be presented to commemorate the event, but the world will have to exercise
patience until the official ceremony takes place this coming autumn. Of course, Patek Philippe is
already introducing newcomers to its collections as well as unique “Rare Handcrafts” creations at
Baselworld 2014. The manufacture has not missed a single Baselword Watch and Jewellery Show
since 1931 and knows what it owes the world's most important show window of the watchmaking
industry. This year's Basel debuts have everything it takes to delight those who love and appreciate
exquisite timepieces. The four new watches are described below under the heading "The art of
permanent development" – a fitting title because it subsumes the manufacture's traditions. It reflects
the ongoing refinement, optimization, and variation of models from well-known Patek Philippe
collections. The new Annual Calendar Chronograph is the brand's first complicated steel wristwatch
outside the casually elegant Nautilus and Aquanaut lineage. With the new Travel Time
Chronograph in stainless steel, Patek Philippe is enriching the Nautilus collection with a model in
steel that features two especially coveted complications. The Twenty~4® Haute Joaillerie Ref.
4909/110 belongs to the "Rare Handcrafts" category and is a shining example of the jeweler's art at
its very finest. And in the Calatrava Haute Joaillerie Ref. 4895R, the manufacture highlights the jetblack
dial with a wreath of 162 flawless, fine white baguette diamonds. These are only four of the
many new creations on display at Baselworld 2014 that bridge the wait for the 175th-anniversary
commemorative watches.
The four new watches, together with many other creations can be admired at the all-new Patek
Philippe exhibition stand, a steel and glass structure that literally radiates the values of the
manufacture. The light-flooded pavilion with 1500 m2 on three floors offers 50% more space than
the previous stand. The 600 m2 glass façade and 16 external showcases that present the collection
stand for the transparency and openness that also characterizes the company's communication
philosophy: Welcome to Baselworld 2014!
Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 5960/1A
Complications in stainless steel: a rare fusion at Patek Philippe.
The new Annual Calendar Chronograph Ref. 5960/1A is one of the manufacture's rare classic wristwatches outside the casually exclusive Nautilus and Aquanaut collections to combine a complicated movement with a stainless steel case. This emphasizes its character as a highly functional measuring instrument, a trait expressed in many other details. It is the manufacture's first steel watch to be fitted with the supple and robust signature "drop" links bracelet in stainless steel. The dial also reflects the remarkable functionality of this timepiece. With black appliques on a high-contrast silvery gray background, the dial features a new three-dimensional graphic look and is superbly legible. Smart accents such as the red "1" for the first day of the month in the date aperture and the red-lacquered chronograph and minute-counter hands make it abundantly clear that this timepiece is about measuring performance. The new Ref. 5960/1A (A stands for acier, French for steel) supersedes all gold and platinum models that made the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph such a resounding success since it was launched in 2006. But its inner life remains unchanged. It is the self-winding caliber CH 28-520 IRM QA 24H chronograph movement with classic column-wheel control, a modern vertical disk clutch and the Spiromax® balance spring made of high-tech Silinvar® – an ensemble that melds the finest watchmaking traditions with benchmark innovation.
Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph Ref. 5990/1A
The perfect wristwatch for our era, with a new complication and cult styling.
With this Baselworld debut, Patek Philippe is expanding its collection of complicated Nautilus models, endowing the chronograph with the Travel Time function that indicates the time in two different time zones at a single glance. The new watch combines two highly popular complications and features additional functions for enhanced everyday convenience. Characterized by its two lateral hinge protrusions, the Nautilus design ideally lends itself to a model with two especially popular complications: the right side accommodates the chronograph pushers and protection of the crown while the left side features the two time zone correctors with which the localtime hour hand is bidirectionally incrementable in one-hour steps. Thus, the full luminescent hour hand indicates local time at the owner's present location, and the skeletonized hour hand keeps track of the time at home. Both time zones have separate day/night indicators. The redesigned black dial with the typical horizontal embossed Nautilus pattern and a bright-dark gradation from the center to the periphery features an analog date (coupled with local time) at 12 o'clock as well as the chronograph's 60-minute counter at 6 o'clock. Beneath it is a movement that makes the connoisseur's heart beat faster: the self-winding mechanical manufacture caliber CH 28-520 C FUS with a heavy 21K gold rotor, column-wheel chronograph control, a vertical disk clutch, and a Gyromax® balance with a patented Spiromax® balance spring. All these assets are safely packaged for water resistance to 12 bar in a casually elegant stainless steel Nautilus case with a sapphire-crystal caseback.
Patek Philippe Twenty~4® Haute Joaillerie Ref. 4909/110 "Aquatic Life"
Brilliant in every respect.
Only rarely do haute horlogerie and haute joaillerie meet as consummately as in the new Twenty~4® Ref. 4909/110 in 18K white gold. It is adorned with no fewer than 1937 flawless Top Wesselton diamonds and intensely blue sapphires with a total weight of approximately 43.73 ct. Together, these precious stones form an "Aquatic Life" motif implemented in the manufacture's ateliers according to the highest standards of artistry: it shows blue sapphire fishes of various sizes swimming in a sea of diamonds. Some of the baguette diamonds are closed-set, others with the extremely sophisticated invisible setting technique. The rose gold used for the closed and bead settings of the sapphires as well as the hands and Roman numerals creates a warm contrast to the white case and bracelet and the fine white of the diamonds. The caliber 16-250 is immersed in this ocean of gold and precious stones. The manually wound movement is lavishly finished and can be admired through the sapphirecrystal case back. The teeth of the steel wheels are polished and smoothed, the bridges are decorated with classic Geneva striping and their edges are round-chamfered and polished. It is a fascinating oeuvre attractively accentuated with gilt engravings, bright red bearing jewels, and the golden gleam of brass wheels.
Patek Philippe Calatrava Haute Joaillerie Ref. 4895R
Art as far as the eye can see.
Launched in 1932, the Calatrava is the archetype of all classic round wristwatches and has always been noted for its understated elegance. This timelessly seductive beauty sets an ideal stage for an haute joaillerie ladies' watch for bringing the fire of precious diamonds to the fore without diverting attention away from the dial and thus from its function as a timekeeping instrument. The new Calatrava Haute Joaillerie Ref. 4895R is aburst with the sparkle of 162 flawless baguette diamonds in precious Top Wesselton white, totaling approx. 5.62 ct., that are draped around the dial like a stole. The precious stones, arranged side by side in up to five rows, are securely held in rose gold closed settings and every single one is individually cut to match the geometry of its position. Together, they create a magnificent contrast against the deep black dial with twelve individually applied coats of lacquer, polished Dauphine hands, and applied 18K rose gold arrow hour markers: a truly fascinating and eminently legible face. The watch contains the legendary manually wound caliber 215 movement with the Gyromax® balance patented 65 years ago and the Spiromax® balance spring patented in 2005, combining genuine tradition with trailblazing innovation. The sapphire-crystal case back reveals the intricate beauty of the movement.