Casual Elegance On The Wrist With The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Automatic

Earlier this year, Patek Philippe introduced a slew of new Aquanaut watches. Five of the seven watches unveiled belong to the feminine Aquanaut Luce collection. With multiple dials, cases and movement combinations, there’s an impressive level of variety across the models – it’s a refreshing yet very much on-brand approach towards making watches for women.

Today we have a look at the Aquanaut Luce Automatic in rose gold Ref. 5268/200R and why it is a very spot-on choice for every woman looking for versatility, comfort, and casual elegance.

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Patek Philippe: A History of Brilliant Ladies’ Watches

One of the common criticisms hauled at ladies’ watches is that watchmakers take a popular men’s watch, resize it and badabing badaboom you’ve got a ladies’ watch. Patek Philippe, on the other hand, has gone about this quite differently. It’s been this way since Antoine Norbert de Patek and François Czapek founded Patek, Czapek & Cie in 1839.

Browse our slideshow on Patek Philippe History As The Premier Watchmaker For Women’s Watches

Queen Victoria’s Pendant Watch. Patek, Philippe & Cie, Geneve, No.4719 (1850-1851)

Detail of Queen Victoria’s portrait by Franz Xavier Winterhalter

Patek Philippe developed their first wristwatch as early as 1868 for the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary. Both refined and practical for that time, the watch No. 27368 boasts a yellow gold hunter type case, hinged back. and was enhanced with enamel in black and rose-cut diamond setting.

An advertising from The Hour Glass promoting Patek Philippe watches in 1979. For decades, Patek Philippe has been combining the finest of its watchmaking and gem-setting expertise into watches. Here a Golden Ellipse enhanced with diamonds.

In 2021, Patek Philippe’s new Aquanaut Luce collection caters to a new generation of contemporary active women

Soon thereafter, Patek Philippe made one-off pocket watches for Queen Victoria and the first wristwatch for the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary. Fast-forward to 2009, Patek Philippe chose a ladies watch to unveil their first in-house manual-wind chronograph, the aptly named Ref. 7071 Ladies First Chronograph. This development marked a turning point for the brand and would usher in a new era of technical brilliance.

Read more on Patek Philippe’s History and How The Manufacture Gained Its Reputation As The Premier Watchmaker for Women’s Watches:

The Queen’s Watchmaker: Patek Philippe’s 19th Century Women’s Watches

The history of the Manufacture shows us that ladies’ watches are far from an oversight at Patek Philippe. Instead, they’re every bit as important as their men’s watches.

Introducing The Aquanaut Luce Automatic Ref. 5268/200R

Patek Philippe introduced the first Aquanaut Luce with a self-winding mechanical movement in 2010. Ref. 5068R-001 comes with a rose gold case and chocolate brown dial and strap. Three years later, the brand expanded the collection, introducing the white dial and strap Ref. 5068R-010.

In comparison to the earlier iterations of the Aquanaut Luce Automatic, the new Ref. 5268/200R-001 features a larger case measuring 38.8 mm, up from the previous 35.6 mm, and an integrated composite strap.

The new Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Automatic model Ref. 5268/200R-001 features a diamond-set rose gold bezel. A play on polished and satin-brushed finishes enhances its rose gold case.

The new Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Automatic model Ref. 5268/200R-001 features a diamond-set rose gold bezel. A play on polished and satin-brushed finishes enhances its rose gold case.

The rose-gold case, water-resistant to 120m, nicely contrasts the polished finish on its flat surfaces with a satin-brushed finish on the flanks. As you’d expect from Patek Philippe, the rounded octagonal bezel has a perfectly polished bevelled edge which sparkles with 48 Top Wesselton Pure diamonds (~1.11 ct) set with textbook precision.

The matte white dial embossed with the Aquanaut raised chequerboard motif forms an intriguing backdrop to the rose-gold applied Arabic numerals and rose-gold baton-style hour and minute hands with a luminescent coating. A slender rose-gilt sweep-seconds hand completes the time display, while the date appears in an aperture at 3 o’clock.

Self-Winding Calibre 26-330 S C

The self-winding calibre 26-330 S C powers the sporty, elegant Aquanaut Luce Automatic. First unveiled in 2019, this calibre is replete with numerous technical innovations and optimisations (two of which are patented) relating to the winding system. The presence of a stop-seconds device, which stops the balance when the crown is pulled out, enables the user to set the time to the second. A sapphire-crystal back reveals the movement’s architecture and flawless hand-finish.

Browse our slideshow and discover the beauty and detailed finish of the movement. The oscillating weight is adorned with a Calatrava cross while the plates feature the distinctive Patek Philippe Seal.

Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Automatic 5268 200R 6

Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Automatic 5268 200R 7

Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Automatic 5268 200R 8

Read more on Patek Philippe Seal and how the Geneva-based manufacture ensures the watches are of the utmost quality:

The Patek Philippe Seal

The watch comes on an integrated matt-white strap made of an ultra-resistant composite material with a patented fold-over clasp secured by four independent catches. The new Aquanaut Luce Ref. 5268/200R-001 replaces the two previous 5068 references in the collection.

Watches For Active Women

Like the Twenty~4 Automatic, the Aquanaut Luce Automatic is functional, elegant, and mechanically interesting. Both watches incorporate the best of Patek Philippe’s expertise in watchmaking, gem-setting, and finishing. The result – two very different yet equally versatile watches designed to meet the needs of a new generation of active women.

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