Just a few months after debuting an extensive array of Rare Handcrafts at its Geneva salon, high-watchmaking titan Patek Philippe has returned with yet another full slate of extraordinary dome clocks, pocket watches, and wristwatches. Unveiled to coincide with the brand’s expansive Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Milan, this latest collection serves as a profound celebration of artistic mastery, deeply rooted in the architecture, landscapes, decorative arts, and cultural heritage of Italy.
Patek Philippe’s capacity for high-end decorative crafts remains remarkably vast, as does the incredible selection of motifs chosen for this latest release. Rather than limiting the subject matter strictly to the host city of Milan, the collection takes horological enthusiasts on a rich visual journey across the Italian peninsula. Viewers are treated to miniature vistas of the sun-drenched Amalfi coast, vibrant depictions of Venetian islands, intricate interpretations of Byzantine mosaics, and breathtaking tributes to classical Italian architecture and literature.
Table and Dome Clocks
The horological tour de force naturally begins with the Table Clock ref. 25028M-001 “City of Milan,” a piece that places the exhibition’s host city front and center. The intricate map of Milan spreads seamlessly across both the dial and the curved side panels of the clock. One of the most demanding engineering and artistic feats inherent to Patek Philippe table clocks—which have become a beloved staple of the brand’s massive Watch Art exhibitions—is ensuring that city streets remain perfectly aligned as they pass continuously between three distinct surfaces.
To achieve this visual continuity, roughly 11 meters of fine gold wire are meticulously shaped to outline the city’s various districts. These partitions are subsequently filled with rich shades of blue, green, and turquoise enamel laid over a classic barleycorn guilloché pattern. This translucent flinqué enamel allows the underlying metallic texture to remain softly visible, while opaque white enamel is used to clearly distinguish the principal roadways. Further enhancing the design, the Duomo is meticulously highlighted in gold using the rare paillonnée enamel technique. Four elegant, lozenge-shaped markers positioned on the bezel serve the dual purpose of quarter-hour indications and compass points. True to its artisanal exclusivity, the "City of Milan" table clock is produced as a strictly limited edition of just three pieces.
Patek Philippe pushes the boundaries of intricate cloisonné outlines even further with the Dome Clock ref. 20180M-001 “Ravenna.” Directly inspired by the legendary fifth-century mosaics found within the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, this unique masterpiece demands an extraordinary 33.4 meters of gold wire—weighing approximately 84 grams—to faithfully reproduce the microscopic dimensions of ancient mosaic tesserae.
The breathtaking visual effect relies entirely on breaking up the clock’s curved surface into countless individual elements rather than simply painting a flat mosaic pattern. Artisans employ twenty distinct enamel colors to fill the tiny partitions, supplemented by delicate miniature painting to refine the minute details. Interestingly, the radiant golden sheen that underpins the artwork stems from authentic silver leaf placed carefully beneath translucent enamel. This specialized technique also brilliantly illuminates the star-studded center of the dial, perfectly echoing the celestial decoration of the historical mausoleum.
Continuing the exploration of Italian landscapes, the Dome Clock ref. 20179M-001 “Sicilian Oranges”—alongside its closely related sibling, the ref. 20185M-001 “Sicilian Lemons”—utilizes contrasting decorative techniques to create a striking sense of physical distance. In this composition, heavy orange trees occupy the immediate foreground rendered in vibrant cloisonné enamel, while the city of Palermo stretches out peacefully beyond them through the delicate medium of miniature painting.
A rich palette comprising 49 distinct enamel colors grants the foreground fruit and lush foliage their intense, eye-catching hues. Conversely, just four or five soft pastel colors are selected to gently render the distant city. Expert shading and intentionally blurred details work in tandem to create a convincing sense of depth between the two planes. The clock’s dial takes its aesthetic cues from a traditional Sicilian church clock, complete with classic Roman numerals and an artfully cut-out sun at its very center. Like its lemon-themed counterpart, this piece exists as a unique, one-of-a-kind creation.
The thematic journey continues with the Dome Clock ref. 20183M-001 “Italian Stamps,” which approaches Italian architecture through the fascinating lens of philately. Old postage stamps depicting monumental historical fountains provide the core subject matter, with the fountains and respective city names masterfully engraved beneath layers of translucent brown enamel. Fine gold leaf brightens the frames of these miniature fountain vignettes, while three tiny gold stars pinpoint their geographical locations on the map that blankets the clock’s dome. A detailed compass rose adds a fitting historical nod to Italy’s legendary explorers. The dial itself features a sophisticated marble hour ring and a rich blue flinquée enamel center, bordered by tritons and scrolling motifs that directly evoke classical fountain sculptures.
Mechanically, all of Patek Philippe’s prestigious Dome Clocks are powered by the caliber 17’’’ PEND, a specialized mechanical movement that is periodically and seamlessly rewound by a discreet electric motor. This modern integration provides the everyday convenience expected of a high-end luxury clock while preserving the romance, soul, and future-proof repairability intrinsic to a purely mechanical caliber.
Wristwatches
Transitioning from monumental clocks to wristwatches, the Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50R-017 “Sunset in Tuscany” captures a tranquil Italian village resting beneath a warm, reddening evening sky. The most staggering statistic associated with this wearable work of art lies in the sheer variety of wood utilized: no fewer than 57 distinct wood species are expertly assembled into 203 individual veneer parts alongside 75 smaller inlays.
This vast palette of natural tones provides the subtle shifts in color and grain essential for distinguishing the rustic buildings, cultivated fields, and glowing evening sky from one another. Natural wood proves exceptionally well-suited to the subject matter, its inherent warmth effortlessly complementing the rural pastoral scene. Despite the intensely artisanal nature of marquetry dials, Patek Philippe has committed to producing a limited run of 10 pieces.
A pair of Golden Ellipse references brings the overarching architectural theme indoors, starting with the ref. 5738/50R-027 “Great Gallery.” This timepiece looks down the length of the 80-meter Galleria Grande located within the historic Venaria Palace near Turin. The characteristically elongated canvas of the Golden Ellipse case serves as an ideal frame for depicting the receding floorboards, classical columns, and sculptural niches. Approximately 1.2 meters of fine gold wire establishes the precise perspective, while meticulous miniature painting brings out the complex veining of the dark marble pavement. Each of the five dials planned for production requires a dozen separate firings in the kiln, executed under the watchful supervision of renowned master enamelist Anita Porchet, earning them her coveted “A.P.” signature.
Flipping the architectural perspective upward, the Golden Ellipse ref. 5738/50G-050 “Baroque Decoration” turns its gaze toward the palace’s ornate painted ceilings, sweeping arches, and central oculus. By emphasizing overhead ornamentation, this model offers an entirely distinct composition despite sharing a thematic origin with its gallery-focused counterpart. Cloisonné enamel establishes the overarching architectural framework, while fine miniature painting fills in the myriad decorative details. An unusual mauve alligator strap introduces a bold color choice that pairs elegantly with the white-gold case. Curiously, while these two Golden Ellipse models form a cohesive pair, they are produced in differing quantities; the “Baroque Decoration” is issued as a limited edition of six pieces.
The Calatrava ref. 5177G-011 “Amalfi Escapade” initiates a four-watch road trip along the sun-drenched Italian coastline. The dial depicts a classic Italian vintage car navigating a winding cliffside road, with the deep blue sea and dramatic rock formations providing a stunning backdrop. The lavish color palette is a standout attribute, utilizing 35 distinct enamel colors to establish the primary composition, complemented by an additional 32 shades applied via miniature painting. These supplementary tones give the billowing clouds their realistic volume and the Mediterranean sea its shimmering gradient of changing greens.
Continuing along the coast, the Calatrava trio comprising refs. 5077/100J-010 “Bay of Naples,” 5077/100R-072 “Capri Beach,” and 5077/100G-082 “The Pink Bay” feature hand-guilloché waves positioned directly beneath translucent flinqué enamel. This technique imparts a remarkably natural texture to the water that dynamically shifts as it catches changing light. Cloisonné enamel outlines the coastal trees and rolling landscapes, while miniature enamel painting supplies whimsical details like tiny beach umbrellas and sunbathers. All three watches in the “Amalfi Coast” group are limited editions of six pieces each, further elevated by the brilliant sparkle of 112 diamonds flush-set into their bezels and lugs.
Both the Golden Ellipse and Calatrava wristwatch models are powered by the ultra-reliable, ultra-slim automatic caliber 240. By omitting a central seconds hand, the movement avoids crowding the delicate artistic dials while maintaining an impressively slender profile on the wrist.
Pocket Watches
Venturing north to the Venetian lagoon, the Pocket Watch ref. 992/193J-001 “Burano” focuses its artistic lens on the brightly painted, picturesque houses lining the island’s canals. Local lore holds that families historically painted their homes in these vivid hues to help fishermen safely navigate their way home through the fog at the end of a long voyage.
The vibrant case back incorporates an astonishing 70 enamel colors, with strategic layers of gold and silver leaf placed beneath the translucent enamel to create a shimmering reflection upon the painted water. On the front dial, this exact same artisan trick is deployed to give the classic Breguet numerals a luminous, floating quality. Furthermore, the hand-engraving adorning the pocket watch’s case back, bezel, and bow borrows directly from traditional Burano lace patterns.
The Pocket Watch ref. 995/147G-001 “Venetian Cruise” captures a sleek wooden runabout entering the historic Grand Canal in the quiet hours of the early morning. Wood marquetry is an ideal medium for rendering the vessel, with a high-gloss varnish successfully replicating its polished mahogany decks. The boat itself is constructed from 334 individual veneer parts and 15 microscopic inlays harvested from 37 different wood species. It is set directly into an enamel background where miniature painting portrays the surrounding historical buildings, sky, and gentle ripples of the canal. The tactile contrast between the organic wood and the smooth painted enamel adds an extraordinary layer of depth to the piece.
On the dial side, a matte black enamel face paired with striking red hands borrows its aesthetic directly from a classic marine instrument panel. While this utilitarian look is unusually modern for the traditional Rare Handcrafts series, the uncompromising level of execution allows it to blend seamlessly into the collection. The stark, fascinating contrast between the stark front and the picturesque back makes it a standout release.
Finally, the Pocket Watch ref. 995/151G-001 “Dante” draws inspiration from Sandro Botticelli’s famous portrait of the supreme Italian poet. Dante is depicted standing gracefully against a deep blue enamel sky scattered with powdered gold stars, framed by classical architectural elements and motifs drawn directly from The Divine Comedy. The portrait seamlessly merges cloisonné enamel with miniature painting, requiring more than 25 separate firings in the kiln to achieve its permanent luster. The dial continues the literary homage with delicate laurel leaf motifs, while powdered gold hour markers complete the composition.
All three pocket watches rely on the traditional manually wound caliber 17’’’ LEP PS with small seconds. This classic pocket watch format leaves the expansive case backs entirely unobstructed for ambitious, narrative-driven decoration, while specialized matching stands allow collectors to admire both sides of the watch, particularly when mounted on a revolving display.
The Watch Art Grand Exhibition takes place from October 2 to October 18, 2026, at CityOval in Milan. While admission is entirely free of charge, complimentary tickets are required and can be secured through online registration via the official Patek Philippe exhibition portal.
