Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738/1R-001

Patek Philippe sports models may have become the center of attention over the past few years, but now that trends are shifting towards more compact and elegant watches, it’s time for the Golden Ellipse to shine again. Patek Philippe has unveiled the Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/1R-001 in rose gold, complete with a matching gold chain bracelet attached to the famous rectangle-shaped case with rounded edges.

Until the early 1980s, Ellipse watches were available on both leather straps and chain bracelets or bracelets made of precious metals. The new bracelet in the form of an engraved chain is perhaps the biggest reference to the mid—century design that the brand has shown in recent times, and it further confirms collectors’ interest in watches with a design.

The new version’s rose gold case measures 34.5 mm by 39.5 mm. Its slim profile is only 5.9 mm, making the Golden Ellipse 5738 the thinnest watch in the standard Patek Philippe product catalog. Although the instantly recognizable case made the Golden Ellipse famous, the flexible chain bracelet attracts all the attention.

According to Patek Philippe, it took 15 years to develop this modern version of the classic chain bracelet, and its patented design consists of 363 parts, including more than 300 links. Each piece is assembled one at a time, manually, and the bracelet can be lengthened or shortened as needed. The clasp, which is engraved with a pattern that repeats the bracelet, includes three adjustment notches. Patek Philippe usually classifies its metal bracelets by type: chain bracelets made from wire by the hand of a single craftsman, and “mechanical” bracelets made on CNC machines from a piece of metal, then assembled and finished by hand.

Patek was a real leader in the late 1960s and 1970s in the manufacture of metal bracelets. The new chain bracelet consists of parts manufactured industrially on the latest generation of CNC machines, and then assembled and finished manually, using all the traditional know-how of chain artisans.

The ebony dial with a radiant guilloche accommodates superimposed indexes and thin rose gold hands. To match the color of the dial, a black onyx cabochon is mounted in the crown. The driving force behind the pair of hour and minute hands is an ultra-thin self-winding movement and a mini-rotor, Caliber 240, which provides the watch with a power reserve of 48 hours. The 2.53 mm thick mechanism consists of 161 parts and operates at a frequency of 21,600 vibrations per hour.

The old Golden Ellipse models have already become favorites among fans in the vintage market, so this stunning modern iteration will conquer the hearts and minds of many. Golden Ellipse 5738/1R-001 is priced at 60,100 USD. There is no period as visually defined as the 1970s – it was the reference decade for everything experimental. The Ellipse marked the beginning of a whole generation of unusual watches focused on design.

Technical specifications of Patek Philippe Ellipse