Patek Philippe World Time timepieces are highly desirable for mostly two reasons, practicality and elegance. In 2019, Patek Philippe introduced a new World Time ref. 5231J-001, the first model of its reference to feature its covetable cloisonné enamel dial. Whilst the regular counterpart ref. 5230 launched in 2016 replaced the former ref. 5130, a new case is implemented with inspiration from the past grails, more specifically the legendary ref. 2523 from the 1950’s. While the new case measures a smaller 38.5mm, the smaller size is compensated by its fancy faceted lugs revived from the ref. 2523. With an altered appeal, the World Time caliber remains the same powered by the self-winding cal. 240 HU with a micro-rotor.

Fitted with a cloisonné enamel dial, Patek Philippe executes the delicate craft to the highest level. To achieve the perfect cloisonné enamel dial, a thin gold wiring known as “cloison” are carefully sculpted to create the outline of the desired motif then applied on the surface of the dial. Once that process is finished to perfection, the enamel is then applied to fill the areas with its respective colors. Once the enamel is secured, the dial will be placed inside an oven and heated to create the perfect cloisonné enamel dial. However, the meticulous and rigorous process does not guarantee the perfect yield, as any imperfections detected on the dial after the heating process will be considered as a defect and the process will then have to be restarted making these examples exceedingly rare and highly sought after in the market today.

The present example of a Patek Philippe World Time ref. 5231J is presented in excellent overall condition with very minimal signs of wear. Furthermore, it is accompanied by the full set of accessories, making this a perfect example of the new World Time wristwatch by Patek Philippe. The present lot is the first example of the reference to be offered at auction.