The watch’s added function allows the wearer to keep track of two different timezones: one for where you came from, and another for wherever you are.
This year, Patek Philippe is revisiting one of its most popular lines as it comes out with new editions and enhancements to its Aquanaut Timepiece.
Building on more than fifteen years’ success, Patek Philippe is presenting a new development in the design of the ladies’ Aquanaut Luce, namely a larger, 38.8 mm diameter and a new integrated strap in a composite material. This model of casual chic is available in steel or in rose gold with a choice of dial colors and coordinated straps.
Also making its debut in the ladies’ Aquanaut Luce line is a completely new travel watch, as elegant as it is practical, powered by a quartz Travel Time movement.
Sparkling timepiece
After the success of the Nautilus, Patek Philippe decided on launching another high-end sporty watch. The product of this desire was the Aquanaut, which was introduced to the world in 1997. This became a new a hit for the watchmaker.
Patek Philippe created a special version of the Aquanaut for women, which is lit by a circle of diamonds on the bezel and named Aquanaut Luce. (“Light” in Italian.) This timepiece first appeared on the Italian and Spanish markets in 2004 and then on all five continents in 2005.
Since then, the Aquanaut Luce has offered a choice of steel case with a quartz movement or rose gold with a self-winding movement, with dials and matching straps in a variety of colors
This year, the watchmaker is revisiting the original 2004 design of the Aquanaut Luce in a new generation of quartz-powered models in steel and a self-winding model in rose gold that together will take over from the previous models.
Updating a classic
For 15 years, the Aquanaut Luce has appeared in a range of colors, including black, safari brown, pearly white and blue-gray.
Patek Philippe freshens up this flagship model by endowing it with an enlarged diameter of 38.8 mm and an integrated strap whose contours follow the curvature of the case and the lugs. From now on a new, larger case and an integrated strap will equip every Luce except the Haute Joaillerie models.
The matching dial and strap of the new Aquanaut Luce also now comes in a choice of three colors: black, matte white, and khaki green.
Women on the move
A first additional function for the Luce is also introduced: the Travel Time dual time zone. This exclusive system is already a feature of the men’s Aquanaut Reference 5164, where two push – pieces on the left flank of the case set the local time.
But to retain all the elegance and finesse that women love in the Aquanaut Luce, the manufacture reinterpreted this useful, user-friendly function to incorporate two innovations: a new quartz movement with a dual-time-zone function, caliber E 23 250 S FUS 24H, and a discreet, practical setting system via the winding crown.
This device required that the electronic movement be fitted with a dual time-zone mechanism similar to those that equip all Patek Philippe’s World Time and Travel Time watches, but controlled here by the clutch-pinion that activates hand-setting, rather than by pushers.
Elegant versatility
The new Aquanaut Luce Travel Time has two central hour hands, a skeletonized hand for home time and a solid hand for local time. When its owner changes time zones, the hour hand for local time may be set forward or backwards by increments of one hour using the crown pulled out to the intermediate position, without this affecting the rate accuracy of the movement.
During the time spent abroad, the skeletonized hand will continue to display home time, coupled with the day/night indicator at 6 o’clock, a useful feature when
wishing to avoid waking someone from a deep sleep. The Travel Time’s dual-time-zone system can also be used to display the time in another longitude where a loved one is living.
When the watch’s owner remains at home or no longer needs a second time zone, the two hour hands can be superposed to become a single hand, using the winding crown.
Extra luminous
The rose-gold 38.8 mm case, equipped with a non-screw-down crown is water-resistant to 60 m. Its contrasting polished and satin-brushed finishes complement a matt-white dial and a matching strap.
Aquanaut Luce’s chic, sporty personality gains extra sparkle from a bezel edged with a polished bevel and set with 48 Top Wesselton Pure diamonds (~1.11 ct). The dial presents an embossed Aquanaut motif beneath rose-gold applied numerals and rose-gold baton-style hands, the solid hands with a luminescent coating.
The new Aquanaut Luce Travel Time Reference 5269/200R complements the existing Patek Philippe travel watches for women, which comprise four models: the World Time Reference 7130 with 24 time zones, available in white gold or rose gold, and the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Reference 7234, also in white gold or rose gold, whose design pays tribute to classic aeronautical style.
For more information, visit Patek.com.
