While some Patek watches, such as the Nautilus and the Calatrava, need no introduction, there are some less famous models that could benefit from some further investigation. Take the Patek Philippe Gondolo collection for example. Officially launched in the early 1990s, yet inspired by vintage Patek watches, the Gondolo watch collection is worth a closer look. pierre arpels watch replica


Gondolo & Labouriau and The Gondolo Team Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph 5968


In 1872, Patek Philippe sold its first piece, a silver pocket view, to Gondolo & Labouriau-a jeweler based in Rio de Janeiro, The brand. This sale established a sturdy relationship (that would last until 1927) between the Swiss watch manufacturer and Brazilian jeweler resulting in thousands of pieces sold. Actually , sales to Gondolo and Labouriau represented one-third of Patek’s production during that time! van cleef and arpels alhambra replica


These special Patek timepieces were most likely going for members of an exclusive watch collecting club, dubbed The Gondolo Gang. The 180-member club comprised of the actual Brazilian elite and membership required a consignment to purchase a Gondolo and also Labouriau-commissioned Patek Philippe pocket watch going at 790 Francs. Richard Mille RM 40-01 Replica


However , members weren't asked to pay for the watch in full but rather to sign up for the “Plano do Club Patek Philippe System. ” The system was set up in order to bill each member 10 Francs for 79 weeks. But , to keep things interesting, Gondolo & Labouriau held weekly lotteries to ease one lucky winner of their future payments. As a result, these weekly lottery drawings became lavish picnics where people proudly wore large straw hats printed with PATEK on them. van cleef & arpels replica


So ingrained was the name Patek in B razil society that the word “Patek” became identifiable for the word “watch. ” best replica watch


The Modern Patek Philippe Gondolo Collection

Following pocket wrist watches, Patek Philippe also began creating wrist watches for Gondolo & Labouriau around 1910. Many of these designer watches were what we often call “shaped wristwatches. ” Shaped watches refer to non-round enjoy case silhouettes, such as square, rectangular tonneau or cushion-shaped. As a result, in 1993, Patek Philippe launched a new collection they named the Gondolo to house their non-round watches-many of which are vintage inspired.

A particularly notable piece from the collection is the Patek Philippe Gondolo Ref. 5100J, released in 2100. The Gondolo ref. 5100J features a 34mm x 45mm 18k platnium case with wing-like details on the sides. The first design of the particular ref. 5100 case is a tribute to the 1950’s Patek ref. 2554 “Manta Kitchen tools. ” The actual white switch includes gold hour and minute center hands along with yellow gold indexes, which alternate Arabic amounts and triangular indexes. There are also two subdials on the call. The lower one is dedicated to typically the running seconds, while the top one is the power reserve indicator. A closer look at the power reserve reveals that the Patek Gondolo 5100 has an impressive 10-day power reserve.

The Patek Gondolo “10-Day” is powered by a COSC-certified manual-wound mechanical movement, perfectly visible via the blue caseback. Complete with an elegant leather strap, this is one Patek shaped see that is not only highly distinctive in looks but also mechanically impressive.

The particular Gondolo call is significant to the Patek Philippe brand. Not only does it recall an intriguing part of the company’s history, but today it also belongs to a set of modern Patek watches that flaunt unique shapes and fashions. Gondolo different watches are crafted for the true Patek Philippe enthusiast.