In 1968, Patek Philippe released the Golden Ellipse.

Debuting eight years before the iconic Nautilus, the Ellipse — with its distinctive oval shape — was unlike anything else in Patek Philippe’s catalogs. In period, the Ellipse line became emblematic of the era for design and signaled an elevated level of taste, particularly given the popularity of function-first tool watches that defined the 1960s for many.

In the intervening years, the Ellipse and many of its contemporaries fell out of favor with collectors who favored purpose built steel chronographs and divers that were closely associated with tales of adventure and exploration. Many of these wonderful, design-forward timepieces were lost in the recesses of vaults or sock drawers — or worse — melted down for their gold value. 

Only recently have we seen the start of an evolution in the mindset of contemporary collectors — a groundswell of appreciation for more artistic expressions of timekeeping is occurring at this very moment, and forgotten gems of the 70s and 80s are once again being discovered and appreciated for the works of horological art they truly are.

This Ellipse, a Reference 5738R, transports us to the present day. It features a 34.5mm x 39.5mm 18k rose gold case with a sapphire crystal, a winding crown with an onyx stone inset, and a black sunburst dial with applied gold indices and a matching pencil handset. Power comes from Patek's ultra-thin Calibre 240 automatic winding movement.

Absolutely fantastic.

Watches such as this one are delightful timepieces that stand out brilliantly in a room full of steel sports watches, once again signaling an elevated understanding of what watchmaking can — and perhaps should — be.