Between April 13 and 27, the Patek Philippe Salons in the historic building on rue du Rhône, Geneva, became the exhibition space for this year’s “Rare Handcrafts 2024” collection. With a total of 82 exceptional timepieces – dome clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches – along with live demonstrations by master engravers and enamellers, this was the largest “Rare Handcrafts” collection ever presented by the manufacture.
Every year, to showcase the fine artistic crafts associated with the decoration of timepieces, some dating back almost five centuries, Patek Philippe unveils a collection of one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces. True to its “tradition of innovation,” the manufacture also aims at enabling these exceptional techniques to progress, by pushing back the boundaries of what is possible while drawing on ever-more diverse sources of inspiration.
The 82 pieces of the “Rare Handcrafts 2024” collection comprised 27 dome clocks and small dome clocks, 3 table clocks, 9 pocket watches and 43 wristwatches. These pieces shine the spotlight on a vast body of know-how, such as Grand Feu cloisonné enamel, miniature painting on enamel, grisaille enamel, flinqué enamel, paillonné enamel, champlevé enamel, hand-engraving, hand-executed guilloché work, and gemsetting. They also feature techniques that are relatively new to horology, such as micro wood marquetry and Longwy enamel on faience.
The pieces were presented in an elegant setting that was divided into three areas. Visitors were first greeted by an outstanding ensemble of twelve Calatrava wristwatches with dials in grisaille enamel au blanc de Limoges, cloisonné enamel and paillonné enamel representing the constellations related to the signs of the zodiac.
The salon overlooking the lake featured pieces that highlight the beauties of nature -flora, fauna, gardens of the world and spa towns. The pieces featured extremely refined decorations, such as pocket watch Reference 995/143G-001 “Portrait of a White Egret”, depicted with great finesse in wood marquetry.
The salon facing the rue du Rhône honoured examples of human endeavour such as the arts, traditions and sports. Notably, there was a suite of pieces dedicated to surfing, which included the Calatrava wristwatch Reference 5089G-129 “Morning on the Beach” with its portrait of a surfer in wood marquetry.
The “Rare Handcrafts 2024” exhibition will next be presented from 7 to 16 June 2024, at the newly renovated Patek Philippe Salons in Bond Street, London. To get a greater appreciation for these exceptional timepieces, we take a deeper look at two examples from this year’s collection.
5089G-129 “Morning on the Beach” Calatrava wristwatch
This limited edition of ten watches with a dial in wood marquetry gives centre stage to a surfer waiting for the waves on a California beach. To bring this little picture to life in all its finesse, from the play of light and shade on the young man to the outlines of the wavelets breaking on the shore, the marquetry maker cut out and assembled 100 tiny veneer parts, as well as 75 microscopic inlays, together spanning 23 species of wood of different colours, textures and veining.
The watch has a white-gold case. The dial has a pierced centre fillet and Dauphine-style hands in white gold. The sapphire crystal case back, protected by a hinged dust cover, offers a private view of the calibre 240 ultra-thin self-winding movement. The sporty touch continues through to the calfskin strap embossed with a Cordura pattern in blue with contrasting cream hand-stitching and a prong buckle in white gold.
995/143G-001 “Portrait of a White Egret” Pocket watch
This unique piece featuring a case back in wood marquetry gives centre stage to a white egret and its delicate ornamental plumage, the details depicted with extraordinary finesse. The marquetry-maker cut out and assembled a remarkable 53 tiny veneer parts and 400 inlays, together spanning a palette of 18 species of wood of different colours, textures and veining.
The gold dial was hand-guilloched with a sunburst motif recalling the plumage and coated with translucent blue enamel, according to the traditional technique of flinqué enameling. Applied Breguet numerals and leaf-shaped hands, all in white gold, indicate the time.
A 0.29 ct orange opal cabochon echoing the golden colour of the bird’s bill embellishes the crown. This pocket watch is accompanied by a handcrafted stand in white gold decorated with a motif inspired by reeds, on an oval base in silver obsidian. It houses the calibre 17”’ LEP PS manually wound movement with small seconds.
