From April 13 to 27 2024, in the historic building in the rue du Rhône, the public will have the chance to discover the new Patek Philippe “Rare Handcrafts 2024” collection, with a total of 82 timepieces combining technical mastery with unlimited inventiveness. Live demonstrations by master engravers and enamellers will animate the event.

Every year, to perpetuate all the fine artistic crafts associated with the decoration of timepieces for almost five centuries, Patek Philippe unveils a new collection of one-of-a-kind and limited-edition pieces showcasing these precious skills. True to its “tradition of innovation” the manufacture also aims at enabling these exceptional techniques to progress, by constantly pushing back the boundaries of what is possible while drawing on ever-more diverse sources of inspiration – as evidenced by the rich creativity of the themes.

The “Rare Handcrafts 2024” collection (82 pieces in total, comprising 27 dome clocks and small dome clocks, 3 table clocks, 9 pocket watches and 43 wristwatches) once again shines the spotlight on a vast body of know-how, spanning both ancestral skills (Grand Feu cloisonné enamel, miniature painting on enamel, grisaille enamel, flinqué enamel, paillonné enamel, champlevé enamel, hand-engraving, hand-executed guilloché work, and gemsetting) and techniques that are relatively new to horology, such as micro wood marquetry and Longwy enamel on faience. The pieces, with their increasingly original and astonishing decorations –will be shown to advantage in an elegant setting divided into three areas.

Visitors will be greeted by an outstanding ensemble of twelve Calatrava wristwatches with dials in grisaille enamel au blanc de Limoges, cloisonné enamel and paillonné enamel representing the constellations related to the signs of the zodiac.

The salon overlooking the lake will feature pieces that highlight the beauties of nature -flora, fauna, gardens of the world and spa towns –with extremely refined decorations, such as pocket watch Reference 995/143G-001 “Portrait of a White Egret”, depicted with great finesse in wood marquetry.

The salon facing the rue du Rhône will honor legendary examples of human endeavor (arts, traditions and sports) notably with a suite of pieces dedicated to surfing, including Calatrava wristwatch Reference 5089G-129 “Morning on the Beach” with its portrait of a surfer in wood marquetry.

The “Rare Handcrafts 2024” exhibition will be open to the public from 13 to 27 April 2024 in the Patek Philippe Salons in Geneva, at 41 rue du Rhône, every day except Sunday, from 11.00 to 18.00 (last entry at 17.00). Visitors are invited to register online beforehand on the website patek.com as from March. 28^th, 2024.

The “Rare Handcrafts 2024” exhibition will then be presented from 7 to 16 June 2024 at the newly renovated Patek Philippe Salons in Bond Street, London.

This limited edition of ten watches with a dial in wood marquetry gives center stage to a surfer waiting for the waves on a California beach.

To bring this little picture to life in all its finesse, from the play of light and shade on the young man to the outlines of the wavelets breaking on the shore, the marquetry maker cut out and assembled 100 tiny veneer parts, as well as 75 microscopic inlays, together spanning 23 species of wood of different colors, textures and veining.

Dauphine-style hands in white gold with a pierced center fillet adorn the dial.

The white-gold case is endowed with a sapphire crystal case back protected by a hinged dust cover, affording a private view of the caliber 240 ultra-thin self-winding movement.

The sporty touch continues through to the calfskin strap embossed with a Cordura pattern in blue with contrasting cream hand-stitching and a prong buckle in white gold.

This unique piece featuring a case back in wood marquetry gives center stage to a white egret and its delicate ornamental plumage, the details depicted with extraordinary finesse.

The marquetry-maker cut out and assembled a remarkable 53 tiny veneer parts and 400 inlays, together spanning a palette of 18 species of wood of different colors, textures and veining.

The gold dial was hand-guilloched with a sunburst motif recalling the plumage and coated with translucent blue enamel, according to the traditional technique of flinqué enameling. Applied Breguet numerals and leaf-shaped hands, all in white gold, indicate the time. An orange opal cabochon (0.29 ct) echoing the golden color of the bird’s bill embellishes the crown.

This pocket watch is accompanied by a handcrafted stand in white gold decorated with a motif inspired by reeds, on an oval base in silver obsidian.

It houses the caliber 17’’’ LEP PS manually wound movement with small seconds.