Patek Philippe ladies’ Calatrava
Ref. 7200/250, with blue mother-of-pearl dial.
Patek Philippe ladies’ Calatrava
Ref. 7200/50 Special New York Edition.
with 160 diamonds using Patek’s proprietary Flamme setting, a new way
of diamond setting introduced by the company last year that makes the
diamonds shine more brightly.
In jewelry, diamonds are often placed in claw settings, with four posts
reaching up from a metal surface to hold them in place. This settling allows
the diamond to absorb light on all sides and then reflect it back out the top.
This light return is often not possible in watches, since the gems are set
right into the metal.
The Flamme setting solves the problem by exposing more of the gem.
On the bezel, the gemsetter sets rows of diamonds into the metal as usual,
but then takes a sharp burin and splits the gold between each diamond,
exposing part of the lower facets and allowing light to pass through. Not
only does the technique release more brilliance, but the grooves created
by the burin form a lace-like engraving pattern around the diamonds that
adds even more sparkle.
The Art of Time exhibition collection also included a World Timer, Ref.
7130, in two 75-piece editions (rose or white gold), with a diamond-set bezel.
The opaline blue dial center features a relief-embossed depiction of the
New York City skyline – it is one of several dials in the collection that honor
either the New York skyline or some other famous landmark of the
United States.
The bezel is set with 62 diamonds and the prong buckle has anoth er 27
diamonds. It contains the Caliber 240 HU.
And finally, the New York collection included a ladies’ Calatrava Ref.
7200/50 with either a white or a blue mother-of-pearl dial and diamond
hour markers. It is housed in the classic, sleek Calatrava officer’s style case,
with its rounded edges, and contains Caliber 240 HU. The casebacks of all
watches in this collection are engraved with “PATEK PHILIPPE NEW YORK
2017.” All Patek Philippe watches retain their value, but collectors’ editions
such as these, even more so. It is therefore nice to see ladies’ pieces in these
special edition collections, elevating them to the status of investment pieces
along with most men’s models.
WINTER 2018 | INTERNATIONAL WATCH | 43