Think about the Patek Philippe Twenty~4 collection and you think o – wait, what collection now? That is exactly what most enthusiasts would say when asked about what is one of the Genevan manufacturer’s most commercially successful lines. The harsh truth is that while the Twenty~4 collection pays the bills, it is one of, if not the least recognised in Patek Philippe’s catalogue. Most popular among female clients (it is marketed towards women after all), the Patek Philippe Twenty~4 features a rectangular case that is integrated into a bracelet and is powered by a quartz movement. Indeed, mention the word “quartz” and you’ve lost the attention of 95% of hardcore watch enthusiasts.
This year, in efforts to rejuvenate the identity of the Twenty~4 collection, Patek Philippe has introduced the Twenty~4 Automatic – and with it comes drastic changes. Here, we bring you all the details and our thoughts on Patek Philippe’s new Twenty~4 Automatic Ref. 7300.
Gone is the rectangular case and in comes a round one. While it is a notable departure from the old design, the integrated aesthetic remains intact as the bracelet flows seamlessly from the case and lugs. The case and bezel are cold-formed in high-tonnage presses and then machined to refine the contours before being manually polished. The type of setting utilised by Patek Philippe on the bezel is called “Dentelle” (lacework style), which produces two row configurations of offset diamonds. At 36 mm in diameter, the case is contemporarily feminine. These days, 36 mm seems to be the unspoken threshold between a dainty men’s watch and a modern ladies’ watch; suffice to say that Patek Philippe Twenty~4 are keeping up with the times with this new release. The watch isn’t exactly thin at 10.05 mm in height – having to accommodate an automatic movement – but should still slide under most sleeves with ease. Like the rest of 2018 Patek Philippe novelties, the Twenty~4 Automatic is fitted with the brand’s new patented fold-over clasp, with four independent catches that prevent accidental release and optimise handling.
Depending on the model, the dial comes in either blue, grey, brown, or silver. In the stainless steel variants, the dial features a sunburst finish while in the rose gold variants with silver dial, it is treated to a textural “Shantung” finish (double vertical and horizontal satin finish). Indicating the time are bold aviator-style numerals and baton hands, all of which come with Superluminova coating for low- or no-light visibility. There’s also the date window at 6 o’clock where the 6th hour marker would normally be. These days, implementing a date window on a watch is akin to walking on a minefield, one misstep and “boom”, the watch community explodes in fiery dissent. Fortunately, with the Twenty~4 Automatic, sufficient care has been taken with regards to the placement of the date window. It’s presence is inconspicuous and does not disrupt the balance of the dial. Patek Philippe could’ve saved themselves the headache by releasing a time-only piece – a win-win situation, you’d think. But lets not ignore the fact that this is a watch marketed to the modern woman; it’d be a mistake to not have the most pragmatic complication in watchmaking be present on the dial.
Overall, we feel that the Patek Philippe Twenty~4 Automatic is a well-designed watch, albeit with nothing earth-shattering to shout out about. Given that the watch is aimed at modern, active women, the use of sportier-looking numerals and hands is most fitting. We particularly like the Shantung finishing on the silver dial as it is somewhat of a breath of fresh air from the usual sunburst or matte finished dials – it just looks more sophisticated and decadent.
Feminine and yet contemporary, the Patek Philippe Twenty~4 Automatic injects youth into Patek Philippe’s dignified ladies’ collection. The watch will appeal to women searching for a casual yet demure timepiece – and those who are beyond jewel-encrusted quartz watches.