Patek Philippe Ellipse

In 1968, Patek Philippe released the Golden Ellipse.

Debuting eight years before the iconic Nautilus, the Ellipse — with its distinctive 'oval' shape — was unlike anything else in Patek Philippe’s catalogs. In period, the Ellipse line became emblematic of the era for design and signaled an elevated level of taste,particularly given the popularity of 'function-first' tool watches that defined the 1960s for many.

In the intervening years, the Ellipse and many of its contemporaries fell out of favor with collectors who favored purpose built steel chronographs and divers that were closely associated with tales of adventure and exploration. Many of these wonderful, design-forward timepieces were lost in the recesses of vaults or sock drawers — or worse — melted down for their gold value.

Only recently have we seen the start of an evolution in the mindset of contemporary collectors - a groundswell of appreciation for more artistic expressions of timekeeping is occurring at this very moment, and forgotten gems of the 70s and 80s are once again being discovered and appreciated for the works of horological art they truly are.

This particular example, a Reference 3738-122, dates back to the1990s and features a 31mm x 36mm solid 18K yellow gold elliptical case with a fantastic, integrated 18K yellow gold 'rice-bead' style bracelet with a signed locking clasp, a charming blue ’sigma’ dial with applied ‘baton’ indices and a matching ‘pencil’ handset,and Patek's Calibre 240 self-winding movement.

Absolutely fantastic.

Watches such as this one are delightful timepieces that stand out brilliantly in a room full of steel sports watches, once again signaling anelevated understanding of what watchmaking can — and perhaps should — be.

*Due to the design of thisbracelet, sizing alterations may require custom work. Lead time after measurements are established is 4-6 weeks.*