Patek Philippe Twenty~4 Manchette
In the world of ladies’ luxury timepieces, the Patek Philippe Twenty~4 has been the go-to collection for women since its debut in 1999. The goal initially was to create a watch that could be worn all day and was versatile enough for business or evening wear. And thus the original Twenty~4 Manchette (cuff in French) – with its steel casing and bracelet, as well as its fuss-free quartz movement – was born.
Its design was classy yet chic at the same time, sporty yet elegant; the watch was a success as evidenced by its best-seller status. Also, being some of the more affordable timepieces offered by the manufacture, the Twenty~4 represents and entry point for many women into the universe of Patek Philippe.
In 2018, the brand introduced the round-cased Twenty~4 Automatic, and two years on, it is now revisiting the Twenty~4 Manchette in all its art-deco-inspired, cuff-style glory. The new Twenty~4 Manchette is a reinterpretation of the original medium-sized (25.1mm x 30mm) model.
Two variants have been presented by Patek Philippe: one with a blue sunburst dial, and the other with a gray sunburst dial that gradates to black on the periphery. The Manchette from 1999 had Roman numerals and diamonds on the dial as hour markers – they have now been replaced by white gold applied Arabic numerals 12 and 6, and applied trapeziums, also in white gold. The hour markers, as well as the baton hands, all have a luminous coating to ensure low- and no-light visibility.
Equally as captivating is the distinctive shape of the two-tier rectangular case, underlined by two rows of 18 Top Wesselton Pure diamonds (approx. 0.42 ct). As for most Patek Philippe watches, a Calatrava cross, emblem of Patek Philippe, embellishes the crown.
Driving the new Twenty~4 Manchette is the Calibre E15, a 57-part, 6-jewel quartz movement with a battery life of 3 years. It may not be a mechanical movement but the Calibre E15 is still afforded a certain level of adornment, especially on the main bridge, which is chamfered and decorated with Geneva waves. Even the screw heads are mirror polished. Of course, few will be able to see the well-finished movement as it is hidden behind a solid case back. In fact, apart from those in the know, it is impossible to tell if the watch is mechanical or quartz due to the lack of a seconds hand.
Priced at SGD19,400, the new Twenty~4 Manchette serves as the perfect timepiece for women to test the waters that is Patek Philippe. If nothing else, the Manchette at the very least works well as a lady’s only timepiece thanks to its well-rounded design. It’s even rated up to 30 m of water resistance: good enough for swimming (if you’re brave enough).
At the end of the day, if you’re a hardcore enthusiast, especially one with deep pockets, we’ve probably lost you at “quartz movement”. The Twenty~4 Manchette is probably not for you, although the rest of the watch is pure class. Patek Philippe caters to the different wants of its many clients and the Twenty~4 Manchette will help the brand do so in a massive way while ensuring also that the bills are paid.
