Patek Philippe Gondolo Calendario Tiffany, 2006

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Not every timepiece from the world’s greatest watchmaker fits neatly into the mold of an overarching theme or collection. While we love a simple Patek Philippe Calatrava, a sporty Aquanaut, or a complicated perpetual calendar as much as the next guy, the oddball, more overlooked and usually limited-production, shaped watches made by the maison in the second half of the 20th century are often some of the most innovative and charming in the brand’s oeuvre . The Gondolo collection in particular has an interesting history rooted, not in Geneva, but Rio De Janeiro. The maison enjoyed a fruitful partnership with the Brazilian retailer, Gondolo & Labouriau, for almost 60 years and from that, the Chronometro Gondolo was born. Veering away from the traditional aesthetics of round-cased watches, the Chronometro Gondolo gave rise to the so-called ‘form’ watches produced by Patek. This example, a Reference 5135G, dates to 2006 and features a broad 18K white gold tonneau case with a bit more presence compared to the more narrow silhouette of a traditional Gondolo. Housed in a 38mm case, this piece features a flat sapphire crystal, polished bezel, a slightly recessed, signed crown, and a sapphire exhibition caseback framing the maison's Calibre 324S QA LU 24H automatic movement. Finished in a matte gray with a sunburst center, the dial features an array of polished details including applied 'dagger' indices, trapezoidal day-date-month apertures, a central minute track, a 24-hour subdial with moonphase display, and a matching dauphine handset. Fitted to a signed brown alligator leather strap with an 18K white gold pin buckle, this piece offers something a bit off the beaten path stylistically for Patek Philippe, while displaying what the maison does best ... High complication!