Patek Philippe

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’. The Golden Ratio is considered a perfect proportion frequently found in nature, expressed as a ratio between two numbers as approximately 1.618. Studied by mathematicians for centuries the Golden Ratio is considered to be a key element in achieving aesthetic harmony in art and architecture. 

Indeed the case of the Golden Ellipse sits snugly on the wrist and despite its simplicity in form, exudes elegant proportions cementing it as a classic staple in men’s dresswatches. As with Patek Philippe, no detail is left untouched and the Golden Ellipse buckle also follows the Golden Ratio. 

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.

The caliber 240 has stood the test of time and continues to power Patek Philippe’s lineup of watches fifty years after its introduction.