Patek Philippe

Gondolo Watches

Patek Philippe is one of the most distinguished watchmakers known for manufacturing luxury timepieces. The history of the company shows how it has revolutionized the watchmaking industry since the 19th century. With its delicate blend of Swiss watchmaking traditions and innovations, the brand has delivered an impressive number of masterpieces that have been craved by the watch collectors for over a century. 

Several collections of the company have already gained the attention of watch lovers. Patek Philippe Gondolo is one of the collections with royal touches. The stunning Gondolo watches have unique shapes, and they have become the best alternatives to standard timepieces in the market. With evening wear and elegant suits, consumers can pair up these dress watches.

Established by Antoine Norbert de Patek in 1839, the company entered a 6-year partnership with François Czapek, a Czechoslovakian watchmaker. Then, Patek worked with Jean Adrien Philippe, a French watchmaker.

They together pursued the dream of setting up a watch brand. The most prominent models of the brand are the Ref. 5204 split-seconds chronograph, Ref. 5175 Grandmaster Chime, the Caliber 89, and the Nautilus. In 1932, the Stern family acquired the company.

Philippe was the first to invent the keyless winding mechanism. He also earned a Gold Medal in 1844 for this invention. He made a contract that entitled the company to share one-third of the profit. In 1851, there was an official setup of Patek & Co.

Patek Philippe released the Gondolo collection in 1993. However, there is an interesting history behind Gondolo. This history began on 12th November 1872 when Patek Philippe collaborated with Gondolo & Labouriau, one of the Brazilian vendors. Patek Philippe sold several watches in South America due to this partnership. After 120 years, Patek Philippe paid tribute to the partnership by naming a collection.

Patek Philippe’s timepieces became the status symbols for the rich Brazilians. In due course, there was the development of the Gondolo Gang, which comprises rich timepiece enthusiasts. The special gang included individual clubs, and each of them had 180 members. Members used to put on large hats that displayed the brand name - PATEK.

However, these members had the opportunity to pay for watches in installments. For 79 weeks, they had to pay about 10 francs. However, Gondolo & Labouriau also created a lottery, and the lucky winner got the chance of winning the watch for free. The Gondolo Gang’s members could also buy a Chronometro Gondolo. 

For 55 years, there was a cooperation between Gondolo & Labouriau and Patek. The Art Deco movement began during that time. That is why the Gondolo collection reflects some traits of Art Deco- dramatic, boldness, and elegance.

The Gondolo timepieces are available with pillow-shaped and rectangular cases. Moreover, these cases are made of costly materials like platinum and gold. Some of them have subdued designs, while others are embedded with pearls and diamonds. You can notice unique hour markers. The best models include Breguet numerals and minimalist indices. Manufacturers have added crocodile and cow leather straps to the watches. Very few watches have gold bracelets.

The beautiful cases hold the most innovative technology. The watches include potential calibers with an 8-day power reserve. There is a Genevan seal with every caliber.

The Gondolo collection also includes some women’s watches, and most of them are quartz-powered. That is why they are available at a lower price. The costlier women's timepiece models have mechanical movements. These lavish watches also have diamonds. For instance, the case and dial of the Ref. 7099 include 847 diamonds.

Popular models of the Patek Philippe Gondolo Collection

We have picked the best 3 models of the Goldolo collection.

Patek Philippe Gondolo Ref. 5200

This watch looks beautiful with the highly elegant rectangular case, which truly reflects the Art Deco style. The major focus is on the pomp. The case includes white precious metals. However, white gold was used as the low-cost alternative to platinum.

The case has a quality finish to make you feel good. Manufacturers have applied cold forming technology to use one gold bar for the case.

Other unmistakable features are the baton indexes and the Dauphine hands. These components also have 8kt white gold. But, for the dial, manufacturers have used brass. The blue-colored sunburst dial perfectly matches casual and formal wear.

Patek Philippe Gondolo Ref. 5124G

It is another Gondolo timepiece with an Art Deco style. The rose-colored dial is the most appealing part of the watch. There is no heavy embellishment on the dial. Still, it can seduce your eyes with minimalism and purity. The black Breguet numerals are clearly displayed. The chapter ring and the hands are also black.

The case’s shoulders are made of polished white gold. The sapphire-crystal case back has a curved design to ensure ergonomics. The movement is capable of beating at 4Hz, and there is a power reserve of about 44-hours. The timepiece includes 18 jewels and 142 components. Moreover, the hand-stitched alligator strap and the gold prong buckle are other attractive parts of the watch.

Patek Philippe Gondolo Ref 7099G-001

With an 18K white gold case, the Gondolo watch has a beautiful diamond setting. The case dimension is 29.6 x 38.9 x 8.94mm. The sides and bezel of the case include 480 diamonds. Both sides include sapphire crystals. The watch is also water-resistant in nature.

The dial displays superior-level craftsmanship, and it includes a royal blue inner frame. The blue-colored leaf-style hands and blue cabochon hour markers create a radiant blue theme. The dial has 367 diamonds, and the decoration with floral patterns reflects the use of the Guilloché technique.

The graceful model has Caliber 2521 REC movement. The frequency rate of the hand-wound movement is 4Hz. The 7099G-001 Blue Gondolo has a blue satin strap and an 18K white gold buckle. Thus, the overall design is highly gorgeous and can attract any woman.

The Gondolo watches truly reflect your status and personality. The quality finish, updated dial design, Arabic numerals, sharp hour indices, and other features have made them unique. They will easily match your current tastes. The diamond-studded dress watches have grabbed the attention of several women.