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Vacheron Constantin responded with the Mercator, launched in 1994 to commemorate the 400th anniversary... 

Vacheron Constantin Mercator

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Patek Philippe

Pin buckle

Introduced in 1932 with ref. 96, the Calatrava collection was designed in the spirit of the Bauhaus aesthetic, emphasizing simplicity, elegance and functionality. It is considered by many to be the most elegant and timeless classic watch ever created, distinguished by sleek dials, elegant hands and balanced cases. 

Reference 3440, introduced in 1961, is little known despite its many assets: automatic movement, water-resistant screw-down caseback, symmetrical dial, large “PP” crown and bold case design.

With a yellow gold case measuring 34.5mm in diameter, this model features a silver dial that can be easily recognized thanks to the “triple” index at noon. The case is distinguished by a two-sided bezel that seems to hang over the angular lugs, a screw-down caseback and the large “PP” crown associated with the automatic movement. The case maker's hallmark, clé de Genève no. 4, visible inside the caseback, represents that of Antoine Gerlach, best known to collectors for having made the first precious metal cases for the Calatrava ref. 96 and cases for the Patek Philippe “Padellone” ref. 3448.

This reference is equipped with Caliber 27-460, featuring Patek Philippe's Gyromax balance and an 18-carat yellow gold rotor engraved with the Calatrava cross, the brand's emblem.

This model embodies the timeless aesthetics of the Calatrava collection, making it a perfect choice for discerning collectors who appreciate all the details of this reference.

The watch is available with a Patek Philippe archive extract.

Silver

Hours

Minutes

Small second

Discover the Patek Philippe Calatrava model reference 3440J available at our showroom in Geneva.


Calatrava

Automatic

Extract of the archives

Leather

Yellow Gold

Introduced in 1968, Patek Philippe's Ellipse owes its design to no accident. Indeed, it is based on the golden ratio, considered the “divine proportion” found in nature as well as in the greatest works of architecture and art.

Ref. 3589 made its debut in 1970, coinciding with the advent of larger, more prominent cases. This reference was available in a variety of materials and dial styles, but this configuration is arguably the one that stands out most from the rest thanks to the way the indexes and numerals on the dial are made, by being hollowed out, giving extra depth compared to the variants with applied or painted indexes more common at the time. 

The dials, crafted by specialist Singer for Patek Philippe, offer a simple yet striking contrast between the yellow gold indexes and hands and the blue dial with its sunray finish. 
The “Sigma σ” symbol on the dial at 6 o'clock was introduced in the 1970s by the Association pour la Promotion Industrielle de l'Or (APRIOR), and highlights prestigious manufactures that use precious materials for their watches and indicates that the dial and hands are in gold for this model.

This version of the Ellipse, much larger than the original model, features a 32.5 x 36mm yellow gold case with a polished elliptical bezel and a slightly wider case with a sunray finish.

Another singularity is that this Ellipse is powered by the 28-255 automatic caliber, the same movement that notably equips the Nautilus 3700, underscoring its durability and which was among the finest calibers of its time. 

The watch comes with an extract from the Patek Philippe archives (on order).

Blue

Discover this superb Patek Philippe Ellipse 3589 available at our showroom in Geneva.

Ellipse

Introduced in 1968, Patek Philippe's Ellipse owes its design to no accident. It is based on the golden ratio, considered the “divine proportion” found in nature as well as in the greatest works of architecture and art.

The dials, made by specialist Singer for Patek Philippe, offer a simple yet striking contrast between the yellow gold hour-markers and hands and the blue dial with its sunray finish. The dial features a rare “GÜBELIN” signature, a Patek Philippe retailer historically based in Lucerne, Switzerland, and models bearing this retailer's name are particularly sought-after.

Over the course of its production, four different types of dial were used. We have written a full article on this subject, which you can read [here](https://www.41watch.com/fr/blog/revue-historique-de-la-patek-philippe-ellipse-n178). The model we have here features a first-generation dial.

The “Sigma σ” symbol on the dial at 6 o'clock was introduced in the 1970s by the Association pour la Promotion Industrielle de l'Or (APRIOR), and highlights prestigious manufactures that use precious materials for their watches and indicates that the hands and indexes are made of gold, as is the dial for this model.

This version of the Ellipse, whose dimensions are very similar to the original model, is equipped with a hand-wound mechanical movement, caliber 215, which appeared in 1974 and is still in use today. Caliber 215 was the first to be equipped with Gyromax, operating at 28,800 beats per hour. This movement boasts remarkable stability over long periods, making it ideal for everyday use.

The watch comes with an extract from the Patek Philippe archives (on order).

Discover this superb Patek Philippe Ellipse 3848 available at our showroom in Geneva.

Manual

Rolex

Folding Clasp

Launched in 1956, the Day-Date was the first watch to simultaneously display the day and date through an opening in the dial. Rolex has never shied away from its association with influential personalities, including a number of presidents, which earned this model its nickname.

With a diameter of 36mm, reference 1803 was produced from the early 1960s to 1977. It was the first generation of Day-Date to be produced for more than 15 years. The main feature of this model is its domed “Pie-pan” dial and domed Plexiglas crystal. On this precise model, the dial features a graduated minute track and a particularly attractive grey/cream matte finish.

The Rolex caliber 1555 has a power reserve of around 42 hours and is not equipped with the crown-operated quick-date system, a feature that appears with the following reference 18038 and caliber 3055.

The “President” bracelet fitted to this watch was introduced when this model was launched in 1956. This model is also equipped with a folding clasp with invisible clasp, an option available at the time, but more expensive than the classic version with cap.

As soon as this model was launched, Rolex offered a choice of 25 different languages for the day display, English being the most commonly used worldwide.

Seconds

Date

Discover this superb Rolex Day-Date 1803/8 available at our showroom in Geneva.

Day Date

White gold

White Gold

Introduced in 1956, it was the first wristwatch to display both the date and the day of the week in apertures on the dial. Made exclusively from precious metals, it has always been synonymous with luxury, elegance and prestige.

With a diameter of 36mm, reference 18038 was produced between 1978 and 1989. A wide variety of dial configurations were offered at the time, including some in wood or semi-precious stone, as shown here with this superb **lapis lazuli** dial.

Natural stone dials, such as **Lapis lazuli**, **Onyx** or **Tiger eye**, began to be manufactured by Stern Frères in the early 1970s, thanks to the development of ultrasonic drilling techniques. Rolex, a loyal customer of Stern, was among the first to use these dials in its watches, notably in the Datejust model with four-digit references, and they were later mounted on Day-Dates with the introduction of five-digit references like the 18038 we have here.

The special feature of lapis lazuli is that it gives each watch a unique appearance due to the stone's natural variations, thanks in particular to inclusions of white calcite and golden pyrite.

The condition of a stone dial is an essential factor in its value, as they are relatively fragile and tend to crack over time. So a perfectly intact dial like this one will be much more sought-after and valued.

This watch is delivered as watch only.

Discover our Rolex Day-Date 18028 Lapis Lazuli dial available at our showroom in Geneva.

Yellow gold

The world time mechanism is an emblematic complication of the Patek Philippe Manufacture. It was developed in the 1930s by watchmaker Louis Cottier (1894-1966), who worked for Manufacture Patek Philippe throughout his career.

Introduced in 2016, the new case design of the 5230 is an evolution of the 5130 that is both modern with an enlarged diameter to 38.5 mm (the slim bezel allows the 5230 to appear larger than its diameter would suggest), yet inspired by the design of its illustrious forebear, the ultimate reference in universal hours, the reference 2523.

The watch is a limited edition of just 50 pieces, specially produced in honor of the 100th anniversary of King's Sign Watch - Taiwan's oldest watch retailer - and 50 years of collaboration with Patek Philippe.

The dial is turquoise blue, and the city disc highlights the capital Taipei in red instead of the usual Hong Kong. The hands are inspired by those on reference 2523, but more contemporary. The center of the dial features a magnificent hand-engraved guilloché motif inspired by a pocket watch on display at the Patek Philippe Museum.

On the back, the transparent caseback bears the inscription “King's Sign Watch 1973-2023 Patek Philippe” and reveals the 240 HU (HU “world time”) movement. This ultra-thin self-winding mechanical caliber is equipped with a micro-rotor and a patented Spiromax® balance-spring. It has a power reserve of at least 48 hours.

The watch is delivered with box, outer case, Patek Philippe certificate of origin, limited edition certificate, manuals and leather briefcase.

Worldtime

Discover this Patek Philippe Worldtime 5230G Taipei available at our showroom in Geneva.

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Wrist Impression - MB&F LM101

History - F.P. Journe Chronometre a Resonance

"First wrist impression" articles