Cover Patek Philippe Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R‑001 (Photo: Patek Philippe)
Patek Philippe Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R‑001 (Photo: Patek Philippe)
1 / 1
Patek Philippe’s latest Gondolo Serata timepiece embodies the extraordinary heritage of the Gondolo collection, exemplifying its Art Deco spirit
Defined by the strong lines, geometric simplicity and timelessness characterising the Art Deco style, Patek Philippe’s decorated Gondolo collection is today a gathering point for the Genevan luxury watch manufacture’s “form watches”—its term for timepieces whose cases are not classically round.
While it did not start out as a collection of timepieces for public consumption, it has since become one of the first lines ladies seeking simple, bold elegance turn to. With its ornate details and warm hues, the new Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R‑001—perhaps more than any other Gondolo family member—epitomises the collection’s soul and looks set to join the ranks of iconic Patek Philippe dress watches.
In case you missed it: Inside the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo
Above A satin‑finished calfskin strap, along with a warm colourway, lends lustre and an air of opulence to the new Patek Philippe Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R‑001 (Photo: Patek Philippe)
A satin‑finished calfskin strap, along with a warm colourway, lends lustre and an air of opulence to the new Patek Philippe Gondolo Serata Reference 4962/200R‑001 (Photo: Patek Philippe)
1 / 1
The Gondolo Club
Officially launched in the early 1990s, the Gondolo range has roots in Brazil that go as far back as 1872—when Brazilian watch dealer Carlos Gondolo first traded Patek Philippe watches. In 1890, he merged the business with Paulo Labouriau, a fellow peer in the watch and jewellery trade business, together forming the company Gondolo & Labouriau. By this time, Gondolo had established a relationship with Patek Philippe, with the Swiss watchmaker designing exclusive pocket watches for the Rio de Janeiro‑based watch retailer that were sold only to the 180 members of a watch collectors’ club dubbed The Gondolo Gang—whereby membership was dictated by an obsession to own one of the aforementioned. Among these was the Chronometro Gondolo pocket watch of 1902, which displayed the hours, minutes and seconds (later versions would feature 24-hour dials or chronograph functions), and was distinguished by a gear train made from 9‑karat gold as well as an ébauche (a movement blank) based on a drawing by Patek Philippe co‑founder Jean Adrien Philippe.
Above Patek Philippe Gondolo Reference 7041R (Photo: Patek Philippe)
Above Patek Philippe Gondolo Haute Joaillerie Reference 7042/100G (Photo: Patek Philippe)
Patek Philippe Gondolo Reference 7041R (Photo: Patek Philippe)
1 / 2
To boost the sale of the Chronometro Gondolo, the retailer came up with a purchase scheme called Plano do Club Patek Philippe System, which allowed customers to pay for their watches through weekly instalments over a defined number of weeks. Also included under the scheme: weekly lottery draws held across every week of the defined period, whereby the winner would be rewarded with their pocket watch, halting any further payments. (Those who were not so fortunate would receive their pocket watches at the end of the scheduled payment period.)
The business scheme, a win‑win for all involved—the retailer sold its Patek Philippe watches either way, while brand enthusiasts were offered affordability as well as multiple chances to land their coveted watch for less than full price—was so successful that it expanded to over 200 watch clubs throughout Brazil, which in total sold more than 22,000 Pateks until the late 1920s, which was when the first Gondolo wristwatches appeared. The clubs became a great avenue to form watch communities, and the phenomenon even coined its own lingo: “Patek” became a substitute for the noun “watch”; instead of buying a watch, you bought a Patek—even if it was not a Patek Philippe at all.
The rose gold case is set with 94 spessartites totalling 2.02 carats (Photo: Patek Philippe)
1 / 5
A New Age
Over time, the Gondolo collection, named after Gondolo & Labouriau, with whom the brand enjoyed a strong relationship until 1927, adopted various designs, shapes and forms. For instance, the early Gondolo ladies’ wristwatches from 1993, in particular Reference 4824 and Reference 4825, sported slim rectangular cases, with curvature from the lugs down to the bracelet links. (They would serve as the blueprint for the brand’s first Twenty~4 collection, launched later in 1999.)
Modern iterations of the Gondolo wristwatches got the high jewellery treatment, which saw the cushion‑ and tonneau‑shaped cases emblazoned with precious stones. Of note is the first Gondolo Serata (Italian for “evening”) Reference 4972, a time‑only watch whose hourglass‑shaped case with just two numbers—“12” and “6”—on its guillochéd mother‑of‑pearl dial set the tone for an elegant ladies’ evening watch.
Debuted at Watches and Wonders 2023, the rose gold iteration, Reference 4962/200R‑001, provides the option for a warmer colourway. Decorated yet subtle, a brown lacquered dial, featuring a floral motif that plays up the contrast between its matt and polished finishes, looks out from a bejewelled frame, where 94 brilliant‑cut spessartites, ranging in hues from cognac to mandarin, are arranged in a gradient setting, with the lighter-coloured stones accentuating the case’s tapered centre. Powered by the Calibre E 15 quartz movement, the timepiece comes with a complementary satin‑finished brown calfskin strap to complete the look
