The Laings Journal
Watchmaking Artistry with Patek Philippe's Ladies' Complications Collection
Patek Philippe are masters of creating extraordinary complications in elegant and finessed style, perfect for the modern woman.
Redefining the standards of fine watchmaking since 1839, Patek Philippe is renowned for its pioneering craftsmanship and inspiring design. With watches that go beyond telling time, the humble leader of horology is dedicated to constant innovation, creating timeless ladies and gents’ timepieces that you never truly own, but simply look after for the next generation. Trailblazers in the realm of ladies’ timepieces, Patek Philippe produced its first ladies’ complications wristwatch in 1916, with a five-minute repeater. Today, the series of ladies’ complications models has thrived, with Annual Calendars, World Time watches and Chronographs entering the assembly, graced with the traditional and exceptional craftsmanship details of guilloching and gem-setting – a signature of the Swiss manufacture.
Craig Robertson, Patek Philippe Brand Manager of Laings Glasgow, says:
“Patek Philippe have created a collection of ladies complications timepieces that is truly unrivalled. Each watch features not only some of the most impressive mechanisms in fine watchmaking, but are designed with finesse and elegant design.”
A ‘complication’ in watchmaking is anything a mechanical watch might do beyond telling the time and simple date. Patek Philippe upholds a tradition in complications that accompany their wearers in everyday situations, with exquisite timepieces that feature dual time zones, annual calendars and World Time displays. A lifetime of artistry and skill are embedded in each complications timepiece, creating objects of timeless worth. Patek Philippe Complications showcase the brand’s sophisticated functionality, with some of the most complicated watches that take up to two years to create.
Moon Phases
A complication that reminds us of the link between time measurement and the revolution of the great heavenly bodies, the moon-phase indication is a poetic complication, signature in the renowned collection of Patek Philippe’s complicated watches. The profound complication depicts the evolution of the moon, as seen from earth, shown usually in an apeture and sometimes displayed by hand.
In Ref. 7121J-001, the phases of the moon is housed in a case reminiscent of the iconic Calatrava, with a bezel decorated with 66 sparkling hand-set diamonds.
Miriam Ainslie, Laings Southampton Watch Manager, shares her adoration of the Moon Phase complication:
“What a pleasure to glance at your wrist and envision the stars and moon as they appear in that moment, a mesmerising mechanism.”
The Gemsetting
Patek Philippe maintains a belief of rare and traditional techniques, with each precious gem placed by the hands of the experts. Where watchmaking becomes haute horology, setting of gemstones in a Patek Philippe timepiece is a delicate art, decorating each watch with the finest precious stones, adorning the bracelet, dial, lugs, case and bezel.
Gracing each timepiece with the finest gemstones, each diamond placed in a Patek Philippe watch will uphold the highest quality, only allowing diamonds that are internally flawless, conform to the Top Wesselton colour specifications and display an immaculate cut.
By making a depression with a ball burr, the gem-setter prepares the bed for the stone. They then work the metal with their graver, raising it into beads or grains. These tiny amounts of metal will hold the stone firmly in place.
Annual Calendar
One of the most useful complications in the Patek Philippe series, the Annual Calendar has earned its rightful place as flagship models in Patek Philippe’s collection. The ingenious mechanism first arose in 1996 and indicates the day of the week, the date and month, requiring only one manual adjustment each year. This innovative and user-friendly complication accompanies women in the every-day, arranged elegantly in timepieces adorned with gemstones and hand-crafted with the finest materials by the artisans of Patek Philippe.
The warmth of rose gold and the vibrant, hand-stitched, shiny violine strap is strikingly placed against the silvery sunburst dial in Patek Philippe’s Ref. 4947R-001, housing the patented Annual Calendar in the most distinguished fashion.
World Time
In 1884, the International Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C. established the system of standard time and the division of the globe into 24 time zones. Patek Philippe channelled its expertise and ingenuity from this day to create a timepiece that would display multiple time zones.
Patek Philippe introduced its World Time watches in the 1930s, displaying the time in all 24 zones across the globe, equipping voyagers with the ability to travel throughout the world, telling the time for every next destination. The chosen location is positioned at 12 o’clock, indicating the time and whether it is day or night. Local time is read from the hands in the traditional way, while the pusher at 10 o’clock allows you to transition between the time zones.
Martin Bond, Laings Cardiff’s Patek Philippe Brand Manager, regards the World Time models of Patek Philippe as his favourite of all:
“The World Time mechanism has to be one of Patek Philippe’s most impressive complications, interconnecting cities across the world, it is truly the watch for adventurers.”
Chronograph
120 years ago, Patek Philippe established its patent for the first double chronograph. Upholding a traditional of reinvention paired with age-old skill, Patek Philippe’s chronographs have evolved and in the ladies’ collection, display technical brilliance married with elegant design.
In Ref. 7150/250R, Patek Philippe has given a new look to its manually wound chronograph for women by engineering it with a timeless, understated rose-gold case adorned with vintage details, such as round guillochéd pushers and a gently cambered sapphire-crystal “box” glass. The pulsometer scale respectfully pays tribute to the tradition of classic chronographs that can measure the rhythm of an active lifestyle or the slightly increased heart rate.
The Guilloché
The age-old technique of hand-guilloché is used to engrave straight or circular grooves only a few tenths of a millimetre thick and three to four hundredths of a millimetre deep. This delicate art creates the beautifully engraved patterns seen on dials, movements, cases and bracelets across the collections of Patek Philippe. The art of guillochage thrived in watchmaking in the 19th century, but toward the end of the 20th century, it was at risk of becoming extinct along with the artisans who knew how to use the ancient machines. However, the demand for fine decorations and geometric patterns rose as the end of the millennium drew closer and so the remaining artisans were able to gift their knowledge to new craftspeople. Today, Patek Philippe keeps alive the once-fading art with artisans who carry a great love of the tradition.
7234R
The Calatrava Pilot Travel Time is the first self-winding Travel Time model in Patek Philippe’s collection for women. The dual time-zone mechanism allows its wearer to, at a glance, read the time zone of loved ones afar, ensuring special connections are forever bonded and reminding its wearer of home.
The Reference 7234R combines a rose-gold case with a brown dial and is designed in unique aeronautical style. As a medium version of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time launched in 2015, Patek Philippe channels its ingenuity to reinvent and reimagine its impressive timepieces.
Explore a world of innovation and artistry with Patek Philippe in our Laings Glasgow, Southampton and Cardiff showrooms.