Patek Philippe

Since its debut in 1968, the timelessness of the unisex design of the Golden Ellipse has delighted collectors worldwide. A true expression of Patek Philippe’s approach to watchmaking and design, the Golden Ellipse is perhaps the best distillation of this pursuit of perfection. A tribute to the great mathematicians of Ancient Greece, the shape of the Golden Ellipse was derived from the Golden Ratio design principle, also known as the ‘divine proportion’. Studied by mathematicians for centuries, the Golden Ratio is a perfect proportion frequently found in nature, expressed as a ratio between two numbers of approximately 1.618, and is considered to be a key element in achieving aesthetic harmony in art and architecture.

The elegant 18k gold case houses the legendary caliber 240. Introduced in the midst of the Quartz crisis in 1977 to power the Ellipse collection, it was the thinnest self-winding caliber with an innovative design. Instead of having the rotor be an additional layer above the movement, the rotor is instead housed in the movement itself, positioned off-center in a sunken recess. To compensate for the smaller size of this design, the rotor was crafted in 22k gold with the high karat gold being heavier and more sensitive to the wearer’s movements. This genius feat of engineering not only differentiated Patek Philippe from the other heritage Swiss watch makers at the time, but also allowed them to underline the superiority of their timepieces to the Quartz watches overtaking the market at the time. The caliber 240 has since stood the test of time and continues to power Patek Philippe’s lineup of watches fifty years after its introduction.  

The present Reference 3739 was launched during the quartz crisis and features a unique look: a case that is horizontally oriented, almost like a cushion, instead of the more typical vertically oriented Ellipses, and it is fitted with a meticulously crafted 18k yellow gold Patek Philippe mesh bracelet that sits snugly on the wrist. Accompanying the watch are a set of Patek Philippe Ellipse cufflinks and matching money clip, creating a divinely dapper ensemble.