The 4 New Patek Philippe Minute Repeaters of the “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” Collection

During the “Rare Handcrafts 2020-2021” exhibition held at its headquarters on Rue du Rhône from 16 – 26 June, Patek Philippe offers visitors a chance to admire its latest collection of one-of-a-kind watches, pocket watches and clocks decorated with rare handcrafts. Ranging from miniature enamel painting to wood micro-marquetry and from Grand Feu cloisonné enamel to manual engraving, Patek showcases the Maison’s consummate artistic craftsmanship. Marking the occasion, four minute repeaters in the current collection have been given the rare handcrafts treatment.

Ref. 6002R-001 Sky Moon Tourbillon Haut Artisanat

Patek’s second most complicated wristwatch, the Sky Moon Tourbillon, gets a makeover and now appears in a rose gold case with a brown Grand Feu enamel dial. Making its debut in 2001 with Ref. 5002, the 12 complications spread across the two dials of the Sun Moon Tourbillon were surpassed with the Grandmaster Chime of 2014 and its staggering 20 complications. Revisited in a rare handcrafts version with a white gold case and blue enamel dial (60002G-001) from 2013 to 2016, followed by a version with a black enamel dial (6002G-010), the latest incarnation is also sumptuously decorated. The ornate rose gold case, the crowns, the slide piece for the repeater and even the hour and minute hands and foldover clasp are hand-engraved in bas-relief with volutes and arabesques.

Using the technique of Grand Feu champlevé and cloisonné enamel on the dial, Patek’s expert enamellers have embellished the dial with a lustrous brown enamel background. Brown champlevé enamel is used for the moon phase aperture, the moon of the rotating disc and the periphery of the dial. The floral motif in the centre of the dial is created with Grand Feu cloisonné enamel. This particular enamelling technique delineates the outline of the flower with thin gold wire, and the recesses are then filled with enamel.

The Sky Moon Tourbillon concentrates 12 complications across its two dials, including a minute repeater with two cathedral gongs activated with the slider on the left caseband. Although you can’t see the tourbillon, the front dial hosts the perpetual calendar with day, month and leap year in apertures, a date display with a retrograde hand on the periphery, and central hours and minutes with a moon phase indicator at 6 o’clock. The reverse depicts astronomical functions with sidereal time, a sky chart corresponding to the northern hemisphere, and the angular progression and phases of the moon.

As lavish on the inside as the outside, the manual-winding movement (R TO 27 QR SID LU CL) has 705 parts and is equipped with a proprietary Gryomax® balance. Offering a minimum 38-hour and maximum 48-hour power reserve, the movement and the finished watch are covered by the Patek Philippe seal.

With so many complications under one roof, you won’t be surprised to learn that the watch has a diameter of 44mm and a case height of 17.35mm. The new Ref. 6002R-001 Sky Moon Tourbillon is delivered with matching hand-engraved rose cufflinks. The new reference replaces the Ref. 6002G-010.

Quick facts: Ref. 6002 Sky Moon Tourbillon – 44mm x 17.35mm – hand-engraved rose gold case  – hand-enamelled brown dial using Grand Feu champlevé and cloisonné enamelling – 12 complications spread over 2 dials – front dial: perpetual calendar with retrograde date hand, day, month and leap year in apertures, moon phases at 6 o’clock – central hours and minutes – reverse side: sidereal time, sky chart, phases and orbit of the moon – manual-winding calibre R TO 27 QR SID LU CL – 705 parts –Gyromax® balance – 21,600vph – Breguet spiral –  38-48h power reserve – hand-stitched alligator leather with hand-engraved foldover clasp – Patek Philippe Seal – price on request

Ref. 5304 Minute Repeater & Retrograde Perpetual Calendar

The first Patek grand complication with a semi-skeletonised dial and transparent sapphire crystal discs was the platinum Ref. 5104 of 2006. An unusual model in Patek’s repertoire, the perpetual calendar indications corresponding to the leap year, day and month are displayed on transparent sapphire crystal discs with white markings alighting in a gold-framed aperture. Mounting the wafer-thin sapphire discs on tiny steel arbours required the development of an exclusive, patented process. The date is displayed on a black peripheral track and indicated with a red crescent-shaped retrograde hand, and there is a precision moon phase indicator at 6 o’clock. With its bevelled and polished steel components set against a rose-gilded baseplate, parts of the movement can be seen from the dial. The minute repeater strikes the hours, quarter-hours and then the minutes that have elapsed since the last quarter-hour on demand.

In 2021, Patek reinterprets the minute repeater and retrograde perpetual calendar in a high jewellery model with 80 baguette-cut diamonds set in the bezel, lugs and foldover clasp. The 43mm case rose gold case has a height of 13.3mm and engraved leaf motifs in white gold inserted inside the case flanks and on the minute repeater slider. The leaf motif is echoed on the skeletonised black lacquered white gold hands and the mini-rotor.

Powered by automatic calibre R 27 PS QR LU, the movement has 517 parts, an off-centred 22k gold micro-rotor and a power reserve between 38-48 hours, depending on how often you activate the minute repeater. You can see the minute repeater and its two gongs clearly on the reverse side of the watch.

Quick facts: Ref. 5304/301R – 43mm x 13.3mm – 18k rose gold case with white gold inserts – 80 baguette-set diamonds on bezel, lugs and clasp –  semi-skeletonised dial with 3 sapphire crystal discs for perpetual calendar functions and flyback date display on periphery – automatic calibre R 27 PS QR LU – 517 parts – 21,600vph – Gyromax® balance, Spiromax® balance spring – off-centred 22k gold micro-rotor – 38-48h power reserve – hand-stitched alligator leather with hand-engraved foldover clasp – Patek Philippe Seal – price on request

Ref. 5374G-001 Minute Repeater & Perpetual Calendar

The original Ref. 5374 of 2016 came in a platinum case with a black Grand Feu enamel dial. Its combination of a minute repeater with cathedral gongs and perpetual calendar are revisited this year in a white gold case with a blue Grand Feu enamel dial.

Smaller than the abovementioned references, the 18k white gold case measures 42mm and has a height of 12.2mm. Beautifully designed with a curvaceous silhouette, the recesses in the flanks are satin-finished by hand and cabochons are inserted in the tips of the lugs. The slider on the side of the case activates the minute repeater that strikes on two cathedral gongs. A glossy blue Grand Feu enamel dial with a glazed finish sets off the sub-dials with the perpetual calendar displays. The phases of the moon are depicted in a champlevé aperture at 6 o’clock.  To accommodate the applied white gold Breguet numerals, tiny holes are drilled into the enamel. The white gold leaf-shaped hands are treated with luminescent material.

The sapphire caseback, which can be exchanged for a solid white gold back, reveals the automatic calibre R 27 Q with its 22k gold micro-rotor and cathedral gongs and delivers a power reserve of 38-48 hours. It replaces Ref. 5374P-001.

Quick facts: Ref. 5374G – 42mm x 12.2mm – 18k white gold – blue Grand Feu enamel dial with applied gold Breguet numerals – interchangeable caseback – automatic calibre R27 Q – 467 parts – 21,600vph – Gyromax® balance, Spiromax® balance spring – 22k gold micro-rotor- 38- 48h power reserve – shiny blue alligator leather with hand-engraved foldover clasp – Patek Philippe Seal – price on request

Ref. 7040/250G Ladies’ Minute Repeater

For 2021, Patek proposes a new edition of its Ref. 7000R -001 minute repeater for ladies available from 2011 to 2017 in rose gold with a cream-coloured dial. Housed in a slightly larger 36mm white gold case with a height of 10.14mm, the eye-catching feature of this model is its gorgeous blue Grand Feu flinqué enamel dial illuminated by the diamond-set bezel.

The swirling pattern on the dial is inspired by Patek’s “Siamese Fighting Fish” pocket watch (Ref. 9992/137G-001) and is hand-guilloched before being coated with transparent blue enamel. Elegant spear-shaped white gold hour and minute hands indicate the gold applied hour markers; the small seconds dial with applied round markers is featured at 6 o’clock.

The officer-style case with straight lugs and screw-in spring bars is embellished with the sparkle of 168 diamonds set in two staggered rows on the bezel. Using Patek’s patented Flamme® technique, the artisan cuts grooves in the gold between the stones to allow light to illuminate the diamonds from below. The slider on the case side activates the two classic gongs of the minute repeater.

The Ladies’ Minute Repeater is equipped with the ultra-thin automatic calibre R 27 PS with an off-centred 22k gold micro-rotor and comes with an interchangeable solid and sapphire caseback. With a slim height of just 5.05mm, the movement relies on proprietary Patek developments like the Gyromax®  balance and the Spiromax® balance spring and can store up to 48h of power.

Quick facts: Ref. 7040/250G – 36mm x 10.14mm – 18k white gold – 168 diamonds set on bezel –  blue Grand Feu flinqué enamel dial – applied white gold hour markers, small seconds at 6 o’clock – automatic calibre R27PS – 324 parts – off-centred 22k gold micro-rotor – 21,600vph –  Gyromax® balance, Spiromax® balance spring – 43-48h power reserve – patinated blue alligator leather with white gold prong buckle set with 26 diamonds – Patek Philippe Seal – price on request