Patek Philippe has revealed six Gondolo Ladies First models, modern colour-led reinterpretations of its 2009 Ladies First Chronograph that combine square and round forms with diamonds and gemstones.
Patek Philippe is turning a 2009 chronograph into a colourful family of watches. The brand has revealed six Gondolo Ladies First models, each a modern take on the Manufacture’s Ladies First Chronograph.
The range mixes square and round forms. Patek Philippe describes the look as modern yet retro, and says the watches echo its long-standing stylistic tradition. The brand aims the collection at women who value refined design and timeless elegance.
Colour Across Cases and Dials
The palette runs from cool to warm. One white gold model has a blue-grey opaline dial and a denim-pattern strap. Another pairs rose gold with a chestnut-toned strap and opaline dial.
A mixed white and rose gold model features a diamond-set flange above a chestnut opaline dial with a wave pattern. The brand says the contrast between the sparkling flange and the calmer dial creates a texture of rippling troughs and peaks.
Gemstones and Diamonds
Diamonds do much of the work. The flange and dial use a grain-setting technique that is almost invisible to the naked eye, and the buckle carries 23 diamonds.
Three models use coloured hour markers: amethyst, tsavorite and blue topaz. In each case, the strap tones echo the markers. One design goes further, with every surface, including the case sides, articulated lugs and gold prong buckles, set with diamonds.
Craft and Movements
The brand says all gemsetting takes place in its Manufacture’s ateliers, where specialists use special microscopes to achieve flawless settings. It calls that level of precision rare, even in Haute Joaillerie.
The watches use quartz movements. Patek Philippe says they are made to the same demanding standards as its manual-winding and automatic calibres. It is a quieter detail than the diamonds, but it suggests the collection is built on more than stones.
