Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738 White Gold / Highland Castle Ref. 5738/50G-043

The Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 5738/50G-043 5738/50G-043 debuted in 2026 as a limited series of fifteen pieces within the Golden Ellipse line, distinguished by a dial in Grand Feu cloisonné enamel enriched with miniature painting on enamel. The subject is Kilchurn Castle on Loch Awe in Scotland, rendered as a landscape composition 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. As with other Rare Handcrafts executions in the Golden Ellipse family, the case remains deliberately restrained, leaving the dial as the defining element of the reference. The dial portrays Kilchurn Castle, its silhouette outlined using approximately 23 cm of gold wire weighing about 0.16 grams. To reproduce the tonal variation of the surrounding landscape, particularly the green hues of the foliage and moss, the enameller worked with a palette of 28 enamel colours combining transparent, opalescent, and opaque compositions. Miniature painting on enamel in four additional colours was then used to refine the foliage and reinforce the misty lakeside atmosphere. Each dial required between 8 and 10 firings at a temperature of 830°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, grained leaf-green calfskin strap, secured by a white gold prong buckle shaped to echo the elliptical case.