In Perfect Form

Patek Philippe celebrates 50 glorious years of the Ellipse d’Or with exceptional artistry and elegance.

- Tan Siok Hoon

The Golden Ellipse is the second oldest watch in the annals of Patek Philippe, after the manufacture’s classic Calatrava introduced in 1932. Nonetheless, both are highly revered as house icons boasting symbolic designs that have admirably survived decades of changing horological and fashion trends.

When the Golden Ellipse made its debut in 1968, it captured the imagination of horology enthusiasts with its bold elliptical case — a cross between a circle and a rectangle, featuring a blue-gold dial with a mysteriously deep shimmer at the time. The timepiece’s unique combination of minimalism and harmony, resulting from its balanced proportions, was inspired by the “golden section” or so-called divine proportion (based on the ratio of 1 : 1.6181...). Discovered by ancient Greek mathematicians, the formula was adopted for use by a number of architectural and artistic masterpieces, a testament of its everlasting allure and aesthetical value.

The Golden Ellipse (also known as Ellipse d’Or) reached great heights of success in the ‘70s and ‘80s, attested by an array of up to 65 versions by the late ‘70s. Not only was its distinct shape leveraged in a plethora of sizes and different precious metals, the ellipse was also fused with other case shapes, such as the rectangular and octagonal forms, and was even presented in a Nautilus Ellipse model. The prolific collection saw the iconic timepiece paired with leather straps or metal bracelets (braided, chained, milanaise); various dial colours; and applied hour markers or Roman numerals. Being remarkably sought after, it even made a crossover into more ornamental domain; it was offered in jewellery as well as haute joaillerie versions for ladies, besides being reimagined as plush accessories such as cufflinks, rings, and lighters.