The world time zone is one of Patek Philippe’s classic complex functions. Among them, the style of the cloisonnĂ© enamel dial is particularly popular among collectors. The time zone display is matched with the world map enamel painting, which has both function and craftsmanship. When reading the watch, you can see the empire on your wrist.
PATEK PHILIPPE’s world time zone watch has a long history. In the 1930s, the brand cooperated with Geneva watchmaker Louis Cottier to develop the world time zone module and obtained a patent in 1959. Use the 10 o’clock button to adjust the main time zone city to be read to the 12 position. After adjusting the correct time, you can read the current time of the other 23 time zones at the same time. The inner circle of the dial shows day or night in 24 hours. The operation is intuitive and simple, and the interface is clear to read. Therefore, it is a very famous complex function of Patek Philippe. It is also the most mainstream display interface of the world time zone watch on the current market.
Cloisonné enamel craftsmanship is a favorite of collectors
PP’s cloisonnĂ© enamel dial world time zone has appeared in many antique watches, and the model 5131 that we are familiar with in modern times is an extension of the world time zone watch 5130. The center of the dial is outlined with a hair-thin gold line to outline the frame of the composition. After melting and fixing, it is then micro-painted and filled with colors, and then fired in a high-temperature kiln to fix the color. Since the color fixing temperature of each color enamel is slightly different, the richer the color matching, the more kiln firing is required, which means an increase in the failure rate. After many attempts, the enamel master can finally get a flawless dial.
The combination of the world time zone display and the world map enamel painting can be said to be a combination of complex functions and aesthetic conception. When looking at the watch on the wrist and reading the time information, the painted world on the dial is instantly eye-catching. The concept of the world is not only displayed through practical functions, but also interpreted from the emotional perspective of craftsmanship. It is conceivable that the watch is well received, so styles with different map views and different case materials have been launched one after another.
PP’s world time zone was revised in 2016, from 5130 to 5230, while the enamel dial version of the world time zone was updated in 2019, which is the 5231J. The case shape has changed slightly compared with the previous work, such as the crown shoulder is cancelled, and the lugs are designed with small wings. With the change of times, the representative cities of each time zone have also changed, but what remains unchanged is the love of collectors. In the 2019 Sotheby’s Hong Kong Precious Watch Auction, the original unopened previous generation world time zone enamel watch 5131R was sold at a high price of HK$1,187,500, which is more than doubled compared to the price of the new watch brand of about HK$500,000, which shows the charm of the watch to collectors.
Unshakable status of a rare product
With the launch of the new model 5231J of the world time zone enamel watch, similar to the previous model 5131, it was also launched with gold material at the beginning, followed by white gold, rose gold and platinum, with different map scenes. Now 5231J seems to have restarted the next cycle, and it also starts with a gold case as the first version. It is not difficult to imagine that there will definitely be other map scenes in the future. With the increase in styles, collectors may be slightly less eager to buy them at high prices. However, it is undeniable that Patek Philippe’s cloisonnĂ© enamel world time zone is still a rare rare product with limited quantity and hard to find. For discerning connoisseurs, it is always a worthy art timepiece, and the change of map scenes can better meet the preferences of collectors in different markets.
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