Left to right: Patek Philippe’s first ladies’ wristwatch, made in 1868 for Countess Koscowicz. The Aquanaut Luce Ref. 5067A. The first ladies’ chronograph Ref. 7071R, introduced in 2009.
In its endeavor to bring mechanical excellence to the ladies’ selection, Patek did not shy away from quartz. In 1999, it launched the Twenty~4, a quartz piece that was one of the first steel watches on the market to be set with diamonds. It thus combined luxury with accessibility within a prestigious marque. The Twenty~4 is so named because it works in any setting, as a great day-to-night watch. The advertising for the original 1999 launch campaign bore the slogan “Who will you be in the next 24 hours?” shining the spotlight on the watch’s versatility. The Twenty~4 was
updated in 2018 to include automatic movements in a round case — the original was a manchette style, with a squared case and integrated bracelet — along with new variations of the original model, which remains one of the company’s most popular designs. Patek also uses quartz movements in the Aquanaut Luce line, with its signature diamond bezel and colorful rubber straps. Originally introduced in 2004, the collection was upgraded this year with new colors, a larger case size, a Travel Time version, and a first-ever white gold model.
Patek Philippe CEO Thierry Stern recently made a decision to discontinue the company’s cult-status Nautilus Ref. 5711 in steel with a blue dial. It had become so popular that it was threatening to define the brand. It was so in-demand that wait lists were approaching the 10- year mark. Stern’s reasoning was simple: he wanted to make the point that there is more to Patek Philippe than the Nautilus, which he feared would overshadow the rest. By the same token, there is more to Patek Philippe than its men’s models.
Left to right: Ref. 7000R, ladies, minute repeater. Ref. 7059R ladies’ split seconds chronograph. Ref. 7234G Calatrava Pilot Travel Time. The new round Patek Philippe Twenty~4.
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