Patek Philippe adds three new models to its Twenty~4 family

01 About time

After years of gaining recognition for its ultra-precise quartz watches and light-powered Eco-Drive movements, Citizen is finally starting to flex its mechanical muscle. The Swiss movement manufacturer La Joux-Perret, acquired by the Citizen Watch Group in 2012, helped develop an automatic movement, the Cal. 0200. It’s to be used in a brand new watch collection, dubbed simply The Citizen. It is impressively precise with a chronometer-surpassing average daily accuracy of -3/+5 seconds and uses a free-sprung balance wheel for improved shock- and wear-resistance. The meticulously decorated movement is housed in a 40mm steel case with an integrated bracelet and features a grainy black dial.

02 Chic choices

While it’s heartening to see the watchmaking world catch up to women’s increasing demands for mechanical movements, it’s also important to cater to those who still prefer quartz ones. This is why Patek Philippe was smart to leave its original rectangular, quartz-powered Twenty~4 models alongside the newer, automatic round models introduced in 2018. The brand is still committing to this strategy as it introduces three new models to the collection, with one quartz reference in rose gold with a chocolate brown dial and two automatics in steel with an olive-green dial and rose gold with a matching face respectively. This brings the total number of models in the Twenty~4 family to 12.

03 Back to black

Watchmakers shouldn’t feel bad if a new product doesn’t do well because, given enough time, that watch’s limited run might eventually make it a sought-after collector’s item. IWC’s 1994 “Black Flieger”, a Pilot’s Watch with a case made of black zirconium oxide ceramic, is one such example of a delayed success story. Since there were only 1,000 pieces of the original ever made, you might have a better chance at the newly released remake, the Pilot’s Watch Chronograph Edition “Tribute to 3705”. Modern updates, which include a Ceratanium case, crown and pushers, and the in-house Caliber 69380, might also make it more desirable. Once again, it is a limited run of 1,000 pieces and available online on iwc.com, Wechat, YNAP and Tmall.