The New Patek Philippe Twenty~4 7340/1R Perpetual Calendar

Introduced in 1999, the Twenty~4 collection was Patek Philippe’s first dedicated line of feminine timepieces. The original model featured an Art Deco-inspired manchette (cuff) design, but in 2018, the brand unveiled the Twenty~4 Automatic, which is a round-cased iteration powered by an automatic movement. This year, Patek Philippe elevates the collection further by introducing a perpetual calendar complication, marking the collection's debut in the realm of Grand Complications.
Crafted entirely in 18K rose gold, the watch features a 36mm case with a slender profile of just 9.95mm, making it sit gracefully on the wrist. The case is meticulously finished with a combination of polished and brushed surfaces, enhancing its refined aesthetic. Two dial options are available. The Ref. 7340/1R-001 features a silvery opaline dial with a vertical satin finish, evoking the texture of shantung silk that feature irregular texture, while the Ref. 7340/1R-010 presents an olive green sunburst dial for a more contemporary appeal.

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Auction Phillips to Sell the Unique Masterpiece Sympathique N°1 at the Next Geneva Auction

A Modern Tribute to Abraham-Louis Breguet's Ingenuity, Made by François-Paul Journe in 1991

ByWaqt

2 weeks ago

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This May, Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo will present one of the most historically and technically significant horological creations of the 20th century: the Breguet Sympathique N°1, designed and built by François-Paul Journe in 1991. This groundbreaking timekeeping ensemble, featuring an Empire-style master clock with yellow gold panels and a matching 18k yellow gold tourbillon wristwatch.

Stands as a modern tribute to one of Abraham-Louis Breguet’s most ingenious inventions. With an estimate exceeding CHF 1,000,000, this extraordinary set will be offered at The Geneva Watch Auction: XXI, taking place on 10–11 May 2025 at the Hotel President, Geneva.

First conceived in 1795, Abraham-Louis Breguet’s original Pendule Sympathique was a revolutionary system that allowed a paired pocket watch to be automatically wound, set, and adjusted by its accompanying clock. Only eleven were ever produced, each a mechanical marvel of its era. Nearly 200 years later, François-Paul Journe, then at the helm of Technique Horlogère Appliquée (THA), alongside Denis Flageollet and Dominique Mouret—was commissioned by Breguet to revive this forgotten complication for the landmark 1991 Art of Breguet exhibition and auction. The result was the Sympathique N°1.

Standing at 255mm tall, with yellow gold panels and a classical architectural design by horological illustrator David Penney, the Sympathique N°1 clock is equipped with a moon-phase, equation of time, thermometer, and full calendar (day, date, month). Remarkably, it remains the first and only example of Journe’s proposed series of twenty clocks to be crafted in gold.

The matching wristwatch, crafted in 18k yellow gold and measuring 36mm in diameter, features a tourbillon, moon-phase, and power reserve indicator in a regulator-style layout. When docked within the clock, the Sympathique mechanism winds the watch, sets the time, and regulates its balance to match the master clock.

The Sympathique N°1 made its public debut at the Art of Breguet exhibition in 1991, followed by the auction in Geneva on 14 April 1991, where it achieved a remarkable price of CHF 1,546,250. It has remained in the same private collection ever since.

As part of preparations for the upcoming Phillips auction in May 2025, a global preview tour will commence, including stops in key cities worldwide, with two stops in the Middle East: Dubai from April 10 to 12 at MB&F M.A.D. Gallery, and Riyadh on April 22 and 23.

The tour begins in London from March 13 to 15, followed by New York from March 26 to 28, then Hong Kong from March 28 to 30, and Singapore on April 18 and 19. The auction will take place at the Hôtel Président in Geneva on May 10 and 11, 2025, with the preview opening from May 7 to 11.