Hello everyone.
Before we knew it, half of June has passed. Six months have passed since the coronavirus news shocked the whole world... Time flies. Speaking of which, the term "May Sickness" has long been popular in the middle to latter half of May, but this year there has been no talk of it at all. The term was originally coined from the feeling of depression after the Golden Week holidays, but with "self-restraint," "social distancing," and "STAY HOME," the depression and damn things...
Well, the "May Sickness" is only possible because of the long holiday.
I'm sure new words will emerge in the future. I hope that more positive words will be born.
Well, this time I will be writing about the Patek Philippe World Time Cloisonné. As always, I will do my best to provide you with as much useful information as possible, so please stay with me until the end.
What is "Cloisonné"?
First of all, what is "cloisonné"? Simply put, it refers to an advanced technique in which a frame is divided with gold wire, colored enamel is poured into it, and then the piece is fired.
In 1937, Patek Philippe released the first wristwatch equipped with a Louis Cottier world time mechanism, the Ref. 515 HU.
*Ref.515 HU reference: https://www.antiquorum.swiss/
The "Ref. 1415 HU" released in 1939 and the "Ref. 2523 HU" released in 1953 are known to watch enthusiasts and collectors as world time models, but are extremely rare as they are rarely seen except at overseas auctions. A very small number of these models have world maps and continents painted in "cloisonné" in the center of the dial, and have been sold for record amounts at overseas auctions in the past.
A revival after 40 years
After more than 40 years, the World Time was revived in 2000 with the release of the Ref. 5110.
*Ref.5110G
Unfortunately, the “Cloisonné” model was not available at the time.
Then, in 2006, the Ref. 5130 was announced as the successor to the Ref. 5110, and two years later in 2008, the long-awaited modern World Time Cloisonné Ref. 5131J was released, featuring a dial depicting the Atlantic Ocean in the center, as well as Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
*Ref.5131J Reference: sothebys
The yellow gold case features a color scheme that is reminiscent of antiques. When I first saw it, I was disappointed that it did not depict Asia, including Japan, but the elegant appearance is what you would expect from Patek Philippe.
The second World Time Cloisonné will be the Ref. 5131G.
*Ref.5131G
The WG (white gold) case and blue-based "cloisonné" dial are very beautiful, and it is difficult to choose a model that is comparable to the dial of the "Ref. 5131R" that we will introduce next. The dial is written as Europe/Asia on the warranty card, and although it is very small, you can see something that looks like Japan (lol). I remember that the regular price when it was first released was around 5 million yen. Even back then, there were very few units in circulation, and it was traded on the market for over 10 million yen.
Commit has a track record of selling "sealed" items in mint condition, unused, and with the plastic still intact. Currently, they are being sold at a highly acclaimed price that is more affordable than at one time. ⇩⇩⇩
Warm rose gold specification "Ref.5131R"
The third release in the series is the new 2015 model "Ref. 5131R," which features a warm RG case and a "cloisonné" dial depicting the Asian and American continents on either side.
*Ref.5131R
Here too, you can see something that looks like Japan on the center of the hands. As I mentioned earlier, the World Time Cloisonné "Ref. 5131" is released in a variety of case materials, and as I am Japanese, I can say that the WG case and this RG case have a very good impression of the dial, with their enamel color scheme and the ability to see Japan.
At Commit, we have a track record of selling what are commonly called "seals" without opening the plastic packaging. For more details, please see here.
https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/patek_philippe/worldtime-19/
The finest platinum specifications
As part of the "Ref. 5131" World Time Cloisonné series, the "5131/1P" was released in 2017 with a platinum case and bracelet.
*Ref.5131/1P-001
The warranty card states "POLE NORD", meaning the North Pole, and a white-based world map as seen from the North Pole is depicted in the center of the dial. Both the case and bracelet are platinum, giving it a sense of weight and making it a fitting watch to conclude the World Time Cloisonné series. The platinum model is very cool, but I personally feel that a leather strap would be a better match for the enamel dial, which uses the "cloisonné" technique. (Sorry for being so cheeky.)
Commit has a track record of selling unused items. For details, please see below.
https://www.commit-watch.co.jp/buyer/watches/mens/patek_philippe/worldtime-14/
New for 2019 "Ref.5231J"
Finally, I would like to mention the new 2019 model, the Ref. 5231J, which I have not yet seen in person and which comes in a new world time case.
*Ref.5231J(2019) Reference: https://www.patek.com/
This model is made of yellow gold (YG), a case material not found in the current third-generation world time "Ref. 5230", and features the "cloisonné" technique applied to the center of the dial and a special enamel finish. It also shares the "Apple Hand" design that was popular in the second-generation "Ref. 5130", but it looks more classic, perhaps due to the case shape.
I haven't seen it in person yet, but when I do, I have a feeling that the new World Time Cloisonné "Ref. 5231J" will leave me with a good impression that will far exceed my expectations.
summary
I have explained about "Cloisonné" above. What do you think? To be honest, I think there are many people who don't even know that "Cloisonné" is a technique. (I'm sorry if you already know it.)
This is a perfect model for businessmen who travel the world, but when I look back at each model again, I feel that the designs themselves are simply "elegant, excellent models."
As I started writing this series, I realized that Patek Philippe is indeed a very deep watch. I would be very happy if even one more person were to be captivated by this depth.