Golden Ellipse 5738 White Gold / Fuego Vulcano

The Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 5738/50G-044 5738/50G-044 debuted in 2026 as a limited series of fifteen pieces within the Golden Ellipse line, distinguished by a dial combining cloisonné enamel, paillonné enamel, and miniature painting on enamel. The subject is the eruption of Guatemala’s Fuego volcano, rendered as a nocturnal landscape within the elliptical format of the Golden Ellipse. Its white gold case follows the collection’s established proportions derived from the golden section and measures 34.5 x 39.5 mm, with a thickness of 6.58 mm. The watch is humidity- and dust-protected only and fitted with a solid case back. On this reference, the case back is additionally engraved with a stylised representation of the volcano together with its name. As with other Rare Handcrafts executions in the Golden Ellipse family, the exterior remains restrained in form, with the dial carrying the defining visual content. The dial depicts the eruption of Volcán de Fuego, its outline formed using approximately 13.2 cm of gold wire weighing about 0.07 grams. To render the night setting, the enameller worked with a palette of six transparent and opaque enamel colours. Gold leaf embedded beneath translucent enamel, using the paillonné technique, is employed to intensify the effect of incandescent magma and the illuminated mountain. Miniature painting on enamel in five additional colours is used to complete the image, including the full moon in the sky and the finer atmospheric details of the eruption scene. Each dial required 10 firings at a temperature of 770°C. Time is indicated by white gold cheveu-style hands. Inside is calibre 240, Patek Philippe’s ultra-thin self-winding movement. It measures 27.5 mm in diameter and 2.53 mm in thickness, consists of 152 parts, uses 27 jewels, and operates at 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour. The movement is wound by an off-centre 22K gold mini-rotor and provides a minimum power reserve of 48 hours. Its regulating organ comprises a Gyromax balance and Spiromax balance spring, and it bears the Patek Philippe Seal. The watch is fitted with a hand-stitched shiny dusk blue alligator leather strap with square scales, secured by a white gold prong buckle shaped to echo the elliptical case.