Watches & Wonders – The Patek Philippe 2023 novelties

Hi everyone,

Watches & Wonders is unveiling this week its 2023 novelties releases. Patek Philippe has very tastefully built its new modern classical style next to the more traditional line-up over the last decade. I believe we can say today the outcome is stunning and helps understanding why Patek stands where it stands. This year is no exception.

Remember that the brand usually also unveils some novelties later in the year (especially around October). We had no Nautilus this week (yet), like last year, as Patek wishes to make legitimate room for the classical models in a world of sports version hype. It’s especially true since some of these classical references are updated in a contemporary way. The style evolution also touches the most complicated mechanisms the brand crafts.

Even though I’m fond of the thin Nautilus models, the classical recent modernized call on traditional pieces are as attractive. Let’s note that it seems the ravishing dark blue gradated dials will remain limited as we are coming to different combinations of tones. Last year, we had already a lighter 5230P and no dark blue dials which have previously been a blast with the 5205G Blue, the 5170P or 5236P especially. It definitely helps not becoming fed-up with certain colors and helps not having too many of the dials we’ve appreciated in the past. Patek shows it remains rare and I think it’s a good thing aesthetically wise but also in terms of value.

The gorgeous 31-260 caliber is added to a 4th model since the original 5235 (in a different spec) and recent years’ 5236P and 5326G. It’s definitely being included more and more in the new pieces. Will it replace the 240 or will it be reserved for bigger sized pieces? We’ll see.

I hope I’ll be able to handle the watches within the next 3 months, until then some ADs might already have some of them for viewing. As usual, I highly recommand to have a look at them in the real because pictures don’t render how they really look like.

Have a nice read!

Nota Bene: all the pictures are from Patek Philippe’s official press release.

Patek Philippe 5224R Travel Time

The 5224R is a brand new reference on the base of a 5212 style case, refined and discreet, leaving place to the very balanced and modern dial side. It’s 42 x 9.85mm with a prong buckle. Its very distinctive feature is in the 24hour-dial display (and not the usual 12 hour scaling). It looks very nice this way and the color combination plays I think a very significant role in this.

We were wondering if different colors, especially matched with colored metals, would get out of fashion after a while. Well, there has been several very nice pieces lately in that category and the more I see them, the more I think that the move considering in introducing different versions, on the long run, without stopping and bringing back grey/white/black only colors, will work successfully. Like cars and clothing, it’s nice to be able to enjoy colors instead of the usual very sober outfits.

Cherry on the cake, this new complication is offered with the most beautiful automatic movement from Patek (MR excepted), the 31-260 caliber.

The Patek Philippe 5224R on the brand’s website

MSRP: 56 900 € (VAT included).

Patek Philippe 5905R-010 Chronograph Annual Calendar

After the 2019 5905R with brown dial, this 42 x 14mm very attractive version in blue makes a remarkable entrance in the collection. It’s equipped with a prong buckle.

The Patek Philippe 5905R on the brand’s website

MSRP: 74 500 € (VAT included).

Patek Philippe Pilot 5924G-001 (Blue) and -010 (Green) Chronograph Travel Time

Due to it increasing success, the Pilot line-up is expending regularly and the fact this version receives a Chronograph for the first time is a sign of recognition in the catalogue.

It’s 42 x 13.05mm and has a prong buckle. and is 30m water-resistant.

The Patek Philippe 5924G (Blue) on the brand’s website

The Patek Philippe 5924G (Green) on the brand’s website

MSRP: 75 100 € (VAT included).

Patek Philippe 6007G-001 (Yellow), -010 (Red), -011 (Blue) Calatrava

That’s quite new. The last version of the previous 6000/6006 generations, in the early era of Patek’s modernisation, had a metallic dark blue dial with contrasting white printings and a touch of red. The 6007A was a unique model succession of this family that was released in a limited run of 1000 pieces to celebrate the new manufacturing building opening in 2019.

This model is back in the regular catalogue to create this casual/sporty range of 6007 references (40 x 9.17mm), though in white gold this time. It’s totally in line with today’s habits and is certainly responding to a strong demand from customers. It has a prong buckle and is 30m water-resistant.

I’m curious to check it in the metal, to confirm its high-end ranking which is only possible in the metal. I remember when the first Pilot watch was released in 2015 that pictures made it look a little underwhelming as it was a very modern style and the dial surface was grainy. Only the live experience could then clearly express its fine lineage. The white gold case together with these very well crafted numerals made no doubt the 5524 was a high-end model. I think that the colors here in the 6007 might as well lead to misjudge the quality of the piece, hence it’s attractive power. I’m eager to have a look at them.

It looks very sporty but I think we would be wrong to misjudge the watch. White gold (color, heft) with Patek’s applied numerals’ finishing (as seen in the the 5172G or 5524) and the dial decoration make all the ingredients at Patek to make such watch worthy of the quality and status of its standards. I’m convinced that in the real it will look very high-end. We’ll check that soon.

The Patek Philippe 6007G-001 (Yellow) on the brand’s website

The Patek Philippe 6007G-010 (Red) on the brand’s website

The Patek Philippe 6007G-011 (Blue) on the brand’s website

MSRP: 37 600 € (VAT included).

Patek Philippe 5968R Aquanaut Chronograph

The Chronograph Aquanaut comes in a rose gold version after the previous white gold references with blue or green dials.

The Patek Philippe 5968R on the brand’s website

MSRP: 75 100 € (VAT included).

Patek Philippe 5316/50P with Sapphire dial

The wonderful Triple Complication receives an unusual (for Patek) metallized sapphire dial with a black-gradient rim. It must be incredible in the metal.

The Patek Philippe 5316/50P on the brand’s website

MSRP: On request.

Patek Philippe Enamel 5531G World Time Minute-Repeater

The previous 5531R faced a strong success among the brand’s amateurs. The dial si something unique but the case and its lugs are a work of art. Its Grand Feu enamel dial represents an old steamship line still sailing on the Geneva lake today.

The Patek Philippe 5531G on the brand’s website

MSRP: On request.

Patek Philippe 5178G with Flanqué blue Grand Feu enamel dial

The bigger version of the 5078, which is also distinctively equipped with cathedral gongs (longer than traditional versions), comes with a new dial.

The Patek Philippe 5178G-012 on the brand’s website

MSRP: On request.

Patek Philippe 6300GR and 6300/403G

The most complicated wristwatch of the brand now comes in 2 new versions, one is a two-tone variant (white and rose gold) while the other receives emeralds.

The Patek Philippe 6300GR on the brand’s website

The Patek Philippe 6300/403G on the brand’s website

MSRP: On request.

The ladies Patek Philippe novelties

Several models have been released in the ladies collection and, as announced some years ago, Patek is expanding the ladies complicated models as they are more and more appealed by the mechanical prowess they offer already to the men line.

MSRP: 38 200 € (VAT included).

MSRP: 39 900 € (VAT included).

MSRP: 61 000 € (VAT included).

MSRP: 53 400 € (VAT included).

Rare Handcrafts collections Exhibition

If you are interested in viewing several of the pieces released inside the 2023 Rare Handcrafts collection, I’ve posted a dedicated article with pictures and descriptions, here.

Please note that Patek Philippe will be presenting their 2023 Rare Handcrafts collection in Geneva with the 64 pieces (21 dome clocks, 3 table clocks, 11 pocket watches and 29 wristwatches). They will hold a dedicated exhibition, open to the public (you have to pre-register on the Patek website dedicated page, linked below), at their Geneva Salons from the 1st to the 15th of April 2023.

More here: 2023 Rare Handcrafts exhibition on Patek’s website

Thanks for the read!