Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse – Forgotten but back in the limelight

Text: Filip Ericsson

The godlike fine brand Patek Philippe's cult-declared dress watch Golden Ellipse, most famous for its special, oval shape, came out in 1968 and was during its first decade a real jetset favourite – only to then fall into oblivion. Today the interest has returned and it coincides with an updated variant with a gold bracelet that has recently reached the market. Eqotime tells the story! 

The Golden Ellipse is of course to a large extent about its shape, but it also has other interesting peculiarities that ought to be illuminated. More about that later. It was in the middle of the 1960s that the number one luxury watch manufacturer, Patek Philippe, decided to nip the emerging quartz threat in the bud. They did it with a new shape that would stand out from the crowd and immediately be recognised as precisely a Patek Philippe. 

The new watch was to function as a unisex watch and represent “real luxury”, which meant that the luxury should be evident at merely a quick glance and immediately distinguish it from all other watches. Hardly an easy task.  

The shape 

Oval watches had begun to trickle out onto the market at the end of the 1950s – it is said that the Cartier Baignorie was first out in 1957. That one in turn had, however, been inspired by a Cartier shape from 1912.  

Patek Philippe for its part took the oval shape to completely new heights with a refinement never seen before. They started from the law, or principle, of proportions that is called “Golden section” or “Golden ratio”.  

The shape principle originates from the ancient Greeks 300 years before Christ and occurs when a line is disproportionately divided in two, where the shorter is 1 and the longer 1,6181. Chinese to many ordinary mortals; see the picture to get an idea! 

By making use of the Golden ratio principle a perfect oval shape was in any case created that did not resemble anything else on the market. Whether a customary, well-to-do watch buyer noticed any difference from other, more simply drawn cases, we leave unsaid. 

Ellipse blue 

One of the specifications that made the Ellipse stand out from the crowd and offer the superior feeling of luxury that was sought after, was a unique type of dial – executed in 18 carat blue gold. Something completely new in the industry.  

It involved a method of vacuum plating where cobalt and 24 carat gold were evaporated together and were then allowed to condense on a plate of 18 carat gold. The end result gave a shimmering, deep blue shade that still has no equal among dials.  

Development 

The Golden Ellipse was presented in 1968 as ref. 3546 and 3548. The measurements were skinny at 27 x 32mm in diameter, and inside sat Patek's own Caliber 23-300, a hand-wound movement that had already come out in 1956. With compact dimensions (23mm in diameter, 3mm height) it fitted well into the Golden Ellipse's dainty case.  

These first references were built until 1976, when an updated variant took over, with a new, likewise hand-wound movement in the form of Caliber 215. It was introduced in 1974 and has remained a real long-runner in the Patek range. Even today it drives Patek watches, a testimony about something of its durability and reliability. 

After that the Golden Ellipse programme swelled like an avalanche and it seems as if a million different references came and went during the following years. At the end of the 70s there were for example 65 different Golden Ellipse references for sale. It would thus be neither possible nor rewarding to go through all of these, but let us mention a few of significance for the model's history. 

The Ultra-thin ref. 3589 was presented at the beginning of the 1970s and, unlike the ordinary model, made use of an automatic movement in the form of Caliber 28-255, which was not a Patek construction but was based on Jaeger-LeCoultre's legendary (and thin) Caliber 920. 

During the 70s the larger ref. 3605 also turned up, called Jumbo, where the case had grown to 33 x 38mm in diameter, though still only 6.5mm in height. The 3605 was also driven by Caliber 28-255 and was available as a complement to the smaller model. 

In 1978 the Golden Ellipse series was updated with ref. 3738, another favourite among the connoisseurs. It held a new movement in the form of Caliber 240, which had been constructed inhouse and offered technical treats such as a micro-rotor in gold. With the 3738 the case measurements incidentally grew to 31 x 35mm. 

After that the Golden Ellipse was continuously updated and was, as mentioned, sold in a large number of variants. Over the years it was built with cases from 19x22mm to 35 x 39mm, with hand-wound and automatic movements as well as with quartz movements, with a date or without, a bracelet or a leather strap. 

The cases were executed in gold, white gold or platinum, the dials came in different colours and versions, with precious stones and a Skelleton dial. 

They also went all out with the shape and at times departed from the original's Golden ratio philosophy. There was experimenting with rectangular shapes and new oval proportions, as well as a sportier variant with a “Nautilus” design, that is to say with the characteristic “ears” along the case sides. These however subsequently disappeared from the palette and what remained was the simple original shape. 

Since 2008 the standard case has incidentally measured 34.5 x 39.5mm in diameter, considerably beefier than the 1968 variant then, but probably perfect for many of today's wearers of dress watches. 

Golden Ellipse hysteria 

During the 1970s the Golden Ellipse remained a big favourite among the jetset of Europe and North America. It was the watch to wear and in its wake the market was washed over by Golden Ellipse accessories such as jewellery and cufflinks that came in the same, characteristic oval shape.  

After that the fascination died out and the Golden Ellipse subsequently led a self-evident but obscure existence in the Patek palette. And on the second-hand market; in a Patek context the Golden Ellipse has been astonishingly good value second hand.  

In recent times, however, enthusiasts have got their eyes open for the model again and what then suits Patek Philippe better than to freshen up its dress favourite? 

The new Golden Ellipse 

At this year's Watches & Wonders fair in Genéve a new variant of the Golden Ellipse 5738, which has formed the base since earlier, was shown.  

The case measurements are thus the same at 34.5 x 39.5mm in diameter, something that Patek Philippe designates as “large”, plus a height of a leaf-thin 5.9mm. Inside, the sophisticated Caliber 240 with its elegant micro-rotor also continues to tick. A date and a seconds hand are absent, as is proper.  

The new variant is executed in rose gold with a black dial. The foremost novelty, however, consists of a completely new gold bracelet with a refined construction of the chain type.  

That this at first glance modest change is considered to deserve attention is because the Golden Ellipse has long been offered only with a leather strap. The metal bracelet namely disappeared from the catalogue as early as during the 1980s.  

And the company has not spared the gunpowder in the development and construction of the new bracelet. The latest CNC technology has been used in the manufacture of the parts, which are then worked and put together by hand. The bracelet consists of 363 different parts.

In the current Golden Ellipse range there are today four different variants. Besides the new gold bracelet variant there is the same watch with a leather strap, a platinum variant with the classic blue dial as well as a white gold version with a somewhat strange dial executed in engraved white gold. 

“On request” Patek Philippe writes on the price tags. Regarding the new version, foreign magazines have mentioned 60 000 dollars, that is to say around 600 000 kronor. Hardly a bargain, but then they are offering perhaps the finest dress watch that has been seen on this earth.