Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738 White Gold / Blue Tartan Ref. 5738/50G-045

The Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts 5738/50G-045 5738/50G-045 debuted in 2026 as a limited series of ten pieces within the Golden Ellipse line, distinguished by a dial combining cloisonné enamel and flinqué enamel to depict a blue tartan textile. The reference applies the manufacture’s decorative craft vocabulary to the elliptical Golden Ellipse format, using enamel and hand-guilloché work to reproduce the structure and colour layering of woven fabric. 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 Golden Ellipse references, the case remains deliberately restrained, leaving the dial as the principal identifying element. The dial was first hand-guilloched with two motifs oriented in four different directions using a straight-line engine lathe, creating the underlying impression of a woven textile structure. The tartan grid itself, requiring approximately 45 cm of gold wire weighing about 0.4 grams, was then executed in Grand Feu cloisonné enamel. The reference also uses flinqué enamel, allowing the horizontal and vertical tartan lines to remain visible over the engraved base. To introduce the impression of folds in the fabric, translucent enamels in eight colours were applied to create a shadow effect. Each dial required 15 firings at 800°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.