Patek Philippe is a long-established watch brand known to all watch enthusiasts. Recently, the company has begun experimenting with colorful dials that have never been seen before. Colors like Tiffany Blue, Khaki Green, and Olive Green, released in 2021, are a bit of a departure from the image of this prestigious Geneva brand. Why has the company begun experimenting with unprecedented colors?
Text by Masayuki Hirota (Chronos-Japan)
This model commemorates the 170th anniversary of the partnership with Tiffany & Co. The so-called Tiffany blue dial color is achieved through lacquer coating. Automatic movement (Cal. 26-330SC). 28,800 vph. Power reserve of approximately 45 hours. 30 jewels. Stainless steel case (40mm diameter). Water resistant to 12 bar. Limited to 170 pieces worldwide.
A dial with excellent color expression made possible by two approaches: PVD and lacquer
One of Patek Philippe's strengths is its ownership of the dial manufacturer Flückiger. Founded in 1860, Flückiger has dramatically improved the quality of its dials since its acquisition in 2004. While there are several excellent dial factories around the world, few companies can not only combine quality and quantity but also master all the dial manufacturing techniques. The former T.H. Muller, now a subsidiary of Glashütte Original, produces extremely fine dials, but the techniques available are limited. Japan's Epson and Showkosha produce even better dials, but their expertise is primarily in painted dials. There are also outstanding dial manufacturers in Geneva and the Vallée de Joux (Voutilainen's dial company, Comblémain, can also perform complete restorations), but production numbers are extremely limited.
Flückiger's strength lies in his mastery of the basics of dial manufacturing: painting and plating. He also employs classic techniques like guilloching and is also working on new technologies. One of these is PVD. In 2021, Patek Philippe introduced unprecedented colors like khaki green and olive green to its new models. Dial coloring is typically achieved by plating or painting. While plating offers a good chance of producing vibrant colors, it is extremely difficult to achieve neutral colors like green.
The "Green Nautilus" has been announced as a limited edition for 2021, the final year of the Ref. 5711/1A. PVD is used to color the olive green sunburst dial. Automatic (Cal. 26-330 SC). 30 jewels. 28,800 vph. Power reserve approximately 45 hours. Stainless steel (diameter 40mm from 10 to 4 o'clock, thickness 8.3mm). Water resistant to 12 bar. Priced at 4,015,000 yen (tax included).
It's easy to reproduce green with paint, but unless you apply it thickly, the color is unstable, making the dial look monotonous and the color is difficult to stabilize. Examples like the Grand Seiko, which has a beautiful green dial despite being painted, are extremely rare. Flückiger, on the other hand, used PVD, a type of vapor deposition plating, to create a vibrant olive green dial that not only allows the underlying color to show through. While the Aquanaut's dial may be painted, the others are PVD.
From what I've seen and heard, Rolex was the first to use PVD on its dials. Their so-called "Green Sub" watches were originally painted green, but were later replaced with truly stunning PVD dials. Rumor has it that Flückiger manufactured these dials, and this is likely true. While Patek Philippe and Rolex don't share a direct capital relationship, they do have a strong collaborative relationship. It's possible that Patek Philippe began using the PVD dials they experimented with on Rolex in 2021. This is purely my personal opinion, but Rolex and Patek Philippe dials seem to be quite similar in construction. Of course, even with the same finish, Patek Philippe is superior. The thin, evenly applied white markings are an unknown but fascinating highlight of current Patek Philippe watches.
