The Ultimate Guide to Patek Philippe Mens Watches: From Manual to Automatic Movement

When it comes to buying Patek Philippe Men's watches, collectors look out for several things. For most buyers, the aesthetic of the watch is the ultimate factor that drives their desire to buy. People also consider their budget and the significance of the watch. However, one of the crucial but frequently overlooked things to consider before buying a Patek Philippe watch is the watch movement.

It’s easy to overlook this because it’s one part of your watch you’ll probably never get to see. Yet, the movement is one of the most important parts of any watch. Fortunately, Patek Philippe has mastered the art of making powerful movements. From manual to automatic and even quartz movement, the Patek catalog consists of watches powered by all kinds of movements.

Patek Philippe currently has about 140 watch models, with a total yearly output of about 60,000 timepieces across these models. Yet each movement is intricately handcrafted to perfection. Every watch that has the Patek Philippe seal carries an ultimate guarantee that its movement will be top quality, just like the rest of the watch. In this guide, we’ll explore the Patek Philippe Mens Watches and the type of movements that power them.

Patek Philippe Mens Watches Movements - An Overview

The watch movement (sometimes called the caliber) is arguably the most important part of a watch. You could call it the engine or powerhouse of the watch and you wouldn’t be wrong. The movement is the internal mechanism that moves the hours and seconds hands of the watch, ensuring they tell the time accurately. It also powers any complications within the watch.

The movement is made up of several (sometimes over 100) moving parts that work together to power the watch. These parts are incredibly delicate and renowned manufacturers like Patek Philippe go to great lengths to ensure they’re built to the highest standards possible, including finishing each component by hand.

Watch movements are generally grouped into two. We have the mechanical movements and the quartz movement. The mechanical movement consists of a complex system that generates power by winding up a mainspring. The mainspring can be wound up by hand or using kinetic energy. Based on this difference in mechanism, mechanical watches are further grouped into manual and automatic movements.

Here’s an overview of how Patek Philippe makes use of each of these movements in its line of watches.

Manual Watch Movement

This is the earliest type of watch movement invented dating all the way back to the 16th century. As the name implies, the manual movement is wound by hand by turning the crown. This tensions the mainspring, producing kinetic energy that is released throughout the day to drive the wheels inside the watch.

Patek Philippe makes different types of manual watch movements from ultra-thin to cut-away “skeleton”. Many of the brand’s complicated watches also feature manual movement. Because of its rich history, manual movements are most appreciated by fans of traditional horology.

Automatic Watch Movement

This is also known as the self-winding mechanical movement. First invented in the 1700s but later developed in the early 20th century, Automatic watch movements are just like manual ones. The only difference between them is that automatic movements are powered by kinetic energy. The rotor in the movement turns on its own as the wearer’s wrist moves.

Patek Philippe uses high-quality 21K or 22K gold for its rotor. This is due to the high specific gravity of this metal which allows it to deliver a high kinetic energy yield. Patek Philippe has been using automatic movements in its watches since 1953. The company has made and patented several high-performance mechanisms, many of which form the basis of complicated movements in its watches.

Quartz Watch Movement

Compared to the other two, the quartz movement is the most recent type of watch movement. Interestingly Patek Philippe is one of the first watchmakers to adopt this new movement. The company began exploring the potential of quartz movements in its watches as far back as 1948.

Patek adopted quartz movements at a time when several other Swiss watchmakers were reluctant to consider it because mechanical movement was such an important part of the Swiss watch identity.

Unlike the other mechanical watches, quartz watch movements rely on battery power. The watch consists of a small chunk of quartz crystal that vibrates when current from the battery passes through it. The precise and regular vibrations of the quartz material make it the perfect engine for a watch. The vibration is sent out at an electric pulse per second, driving the motor that moves the watch hands accurately.

While it is a relatively novel material, Patek takes as much care in producing its quartz movement as it does with mechanical watches. The high-precision quartz movements consist of plates, bridges and wheel trains manufactured based on the same highest quality standards as the mechanical watches.

Movements in Different Patek Philippe Men's Watches

Patek Philippe currently has 21 base calibers used in all of its watches. These watch movements are either used as they are or as a base for additional functions or complications. Here’s an overview of the different Patek Philippe men's Watches and their movements.

Patek Philippe Calatrava

Introduced in 1932, the Patek Philippe Calatrava is Patek’s line of dress watches. This minimalist watch is characterized by slim round cases and clean dials. Patek Philippe Calatrava watches are famous for their simplicity. Most of them are time-only pieces, with two or three hands, but a few have a date window too. Calatrava watches are mostly made from gold or platinum material, but there’s a limited edition steel variant too.

Patek’s Calatrava watches mostly run on manual-winding movements. Patek favors manual movements over automatic movement for this watch because it is the least complex, and helps to keep the watch’s cases as slim as possible. However, there are a few automatic Calatrava watches too. Patek has also introduced a small number of Calatrava timepieces with complications and grand complications.

Patek Philippe Nautilus

The Patek Philippe Nautilus is arguably Patek’s most popular watch collection. Patek released this watch in 1976 during a period where the luxury sports watch genre was just starting to catch on. The Nautilus is commonly regarded as Patek’s response to the iconic Royal Oak wristwatch by the Audemars Piguet company. Both watches were designed by the same manufacturer and share several design traits.

The generously sized casing of the Patek Philippe Nautilus allows more room for various kinds of movements and complications. For instance Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 3700/1A, which is the very first Nautilus model, had an automatic Caliber 375 movement.

Interestingly, there are currently no Patek Philippe Nautilus models with manual movements. Patek offers the entire Nautilus line exclusively with automatic and quartz movements. The collection does include several material variations and more complicated iterations than any other line by Patek.

Patek Philippe Aquanaut

Commonly regarded as a junior brother to the Nautilus collection, the Aquanaut line by Patek Philippe was launched in 1997. It was a simplified version of the iconic Nautilus. Patek hoped to appeal to a younger generation of buyers with this watch.

Like the Nautilus, the Aquanaut was a sports watch with a rounded octagonal case. It did have a few distinguishing features like the textured rubber strap which is unique for a luxury timepiece. The dial face also has a distinct checkered design.

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut line primarily uses a self-winding mechanical movement. The most common is the Caliber 315 S C or Caliber 26-330 S C. Watches in the Aquanaut line are also known to feature a date complication displayed in an aperture on a checkered dial. Originally, the Aquanaut line featured steel casing only. However, the collection has since been expanded to include a gold version. Patek has also produced a few models with complicated movements including chronographs and dual-time Aquanaut watches.

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse

This is an old, but no-so-popular Patek Philippe Mens Watch. It was first released in 1968. The Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse features ultra-slim elliptical-shaped cases. As a dress watch, the Golden Eclipse had a visually harmonious and balanced design. In addition to the slim case profile, this watch was typically made from 18k gold, giving it a luxurious appearance while maintaining a balanced and clean aesthetic.

Originally, Patek made quartz-powered Golden Ellipse watches. You may still find vintage versions of this watch with a quartz movement in the secondary market. However these days, the brand only makes mechanical versions with automatic movement.

Conclusion

As expected from such a renowned watchmaker, Patek Philippe manufactures its own watch movements in-house. This has given so much room for innovation and diversity in its watch offerings. While the company has mostly focused on mechanical movements, it has also produced a good number of quartz watches.

Patek Philippe has proven through its top-quality products that it prioritizes craftsmanship for all its timepieces. This means you can pick any of the watch movements based on your likes and preferences without worrying about quality and durability. Regardless of the watch movement, you can be confident you’re getting a good quality watch that’s built to last for decades.