The latest Complications and a specific stainless steel sports watch will in general mix the most energy at Patek Philippe. Be that as it may, one of my #1 pieces of visiting Baselworld was looking at PP's Uncommon Handcrafts. Every year these novel or exceptionally restricted watches and table checks were visible in the organization's stall. They were consistently worth a look in transit in or out of the ole Patek Philippe arrangement. Gladly showed in vitrines, they weren't the sorts of things you'd see at a common expo press meeting. The polish dials, specifically, help me to remember the sort of shocking cloisonné we partner with the mid-century, brilliant period of watchmaking.
This year, Patek has its most extravagant Uncommon Handcrafts show ever, which will be shown in the organization's Geneva Salon from June 16 to 26 2021. Why so rich? Since it incorporates the inconspicuous pieces from 2020, two years of innovative yield packed into one.
In this post, we'll turn out a portion of the Uncommon Handcrafts wristwatches in the Calatrava and Golden Ellipse collections, just as one completely blinged-out, a masterpiece of a Nautilus that we'll put something aside for last. Press pictures will just take you so far here, so in case you're in Geneva, make certain to look at it for yourself.
Calatrava
1. Ref. 5077/100G-043 “Wax Print in Greens”
First up is a Calatrava in white gold, with a dial inspired by the exuberant colours 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 places 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 calibre 240 ultra-thin self-winding movements, which can be viewed through the sapphire back.
2. Ref. 5077/100R-049, 5089G-101, & 5177G-028 “School of Fish”
The inspiration for this trio of enamel-dialled 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-coloured 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 a 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.
3. Ref. 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.
4. Ref. 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 calibre 240 movement from Patek Philippe.
Golden Ellipse
1. Ref. 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.
2. 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
Would you be able to think about what number of Top Wesselton Unadulterated splendid cut diamonds have been snow-set into the case, dial, and arm band of this white-gold ladies Nautilus? It's 2,553, amounting to somewhat under 13 carats. In any case, who's tallying? With this irregular pave setting, the diamond setter is allowed to follow their motivation, tucking pearls of shifting sizes among one another, leaving basically no space unfilled. I don't perceive any space for precious stone number 2,554, job done the right way. However, without a doubt uncommon, this white gold piece is dispatching in the current assortment. In the presentation, there's likewise an exceptional high-adornments Nautilus in rose gold with much more precious stones.
There are more Rare Handcrafts watches than we had the option to remember for this summary, and there are a lot of table timekeepers and confounded pieces also. So kindly make certain to look at our other inclusion of this dispatch, and in case you're in Geneva, stop by the Patek Salon.