The Watch, Patek Philippe (12)

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[ The WATCH ]

Noblesse oblige

The historic, aristocratic high watchmaking house of Patek Philippe is relaunching a complicated mechanism and is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its top sports model

by Paolo De Vecchi

E

nthusiasts and industry insiders justifiably consider Patek Philippe to be the most illustrious, most collected high watchmaking

house. It has only two sports models in its catalogue,

the Nautilus and Aquanaut. The Aquanaut especially, a direct descendant of its sporting stablemate, is a luxury diver’s watch, waterproof down to 120 metres with a white gold case. The choice of a precious material is due to the fact that in 2017 this model celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Launched at Baselworld 1997, it made a favourable impression with its rounded octagon shape case and composite strap. Patek Phillipe’s reputation is founded on complication watches, and this year’s star is the Referenza 5320G, a perpetual calendar watch. This type of measurement needs no manual intervention for adjustments, setting the difference between 30 and 31 day months or even regulating the leap year cycle, including the jump between 28 and 29 February. The first example of this genuine mechanical memory

by Patek Phillipe dates back to a model from 1925.

www.patek.com

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The new waterproof Aquanaut has a white gold case and crown protectors, automatic movement and composite strap. Left, the new Calibre 240 with SpiromaxÂŽ in SilinvarÂŽ spring and power reserve of at least 40 hours

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[ The WATCH ]

The Temple of High Watchmaking A majestic Murano Glass chandelier dominates the lobby, and the interiors are in Crema Marfil and Emperador marbles, maple root and Indian rosewood. Together with other prestigious details, these premium materials make an impressive show for the opening of a new Italian reference point for high-end timekeeping instruments. The Boutique Patek Philippe is situated in the Pisa Orologeria MultiStore in Via Verri, in the centre of Milan. It’s a a qualitative and quantitative expansion of the Geneva-based maison’s single-brand shop, which opened in 2008. The new space is not dedicated exclusively to sales, it’s also a destination for enthusiasts and collectors of fine wristwatches, offering advice from expert staff, lounges for inspection or private negotiations, a specialist library and a Quick Service that can deal with problems rapidly and competently.

The Referenza 5320G. It’s unidirectional rotor movement in gold is made up of 367 elements. This white gold automatic model with perpetual calendar and moon phases is Patek Phillipe’s most recent complication watch

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