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Unveiled at Baselworld 2017, the Patek Philippe Calatrava High Jewellery Watch is a gem on your wrist.
Caliber 240. Self-winding movement.
Case set with 149 diamonds and 182 pink sapphires.
Crown set with 36 diamonds and 1 pink sapphire cabochon. Total precious stones: 702 (~4.35 cts).
Engraved hands.
Engraved mother-of-pearl dial set with 98 diamonds and 89 pink sapphires.
18k gold dial plate.
Alligator strap with square scales, shiny pink, prong buckle set with 65 diamonds and 82 pink sapphires.
Case: white gold, sapphire-crystal back.
Water-resistant to 30 m
Case diameter: 35.8 mm
The epitome of the ultra-feminine high jewellery watch, the Patek Philippe Calatrava has it all: perfectly feminine, shimmering with an engraved mother-of-pearl dial set with flawless Top Wesselton diamonds and rose pink sapphires, and the elegant Caliber 240 movement as its beating heart.
A calibre, the 240, that celebrates its 40th anniversary this year (it was launched in 1977), and that has become a very appreciated choice also for ladies wristwatches, as it leaves ample margin to the master artisans to demonstrate their abilities in carving and gem setting.
Gem-setting
To admire the composition of the Patek Philippe Calatrava High Jewellery watch’s case is to get lost among several staggered rows composed of 149 flawless Top Wesselton brilliant-cut diamonds that alternate with 182 brilliant-cut rose sapphires that show different shades of pink.
The mother-of-pearl dial is also embellished with sparkling precious gems, as gems of different sizes appear to be set in the lower half of the dial to compose the most brilliant of waves – 98 rare white diamonds at the top, 89 sapphires with varying rose hues at the bottom – shielded by feathers in varying shades of rose, manually engraved in the upper half of the naturally tinted mother-of-pearl dial.
Close up on the dial
This highly fascinating ensemble includes leaf-shaped hour and minute hands in 18K white gold. They, too, are decorated with filigreed, manually executed engravings.
Details of the manually engraved mother-of-pearl dial and hands
And the jeweller’s art also comes to the fore in the crown (36 Top Wesselton diamonds plus a rose sapphire cabochon) and the white-gold clasp (36 diamonds and 82 rose sapphires).
All in all, 702 precious stones with an aggregate weight of 4.35 ct. compete for attention.
The case back’s sapphire crystal is also surprising, as it reveals the ultra-thin self-winding Calibre 240 movement, which makes such a slender timepiece possible to exist.
Diameter: 27.5 mm. Height: 2.53 mm. Parts: 161. Bridges: 6. Jewels: 27. Power reserve: Min. 48 hours. 22K gold off-centre mini-rotor. Balance: Gyromax®. Vibrations/hour: 21 600 (3 Hz). Balance spring: Spiromax®. Hallmark: Patek Philippe Seal. Patent: CH 595 653.
To keep the silhouette thin, the 22k yellow gold rotor is integrated into the movement. It displays the same Geneva striping as the bridges. Their elegant contours are highlighted by the polished, chamfered edges.
A closer look reveals the manually applied perlage on the plate and the soft golden hue of the brass wheels as well as the Gyromax® balance, that oscillates very precisely, assuring a daily rate tolerance of -3 to +2 seconds.
To never be late at that important event. CC
Material courtesy of Patek Philippe press office
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