Hours and Minutes On Demande. Automaton

Press release

Patek Philippe is unveiling twenty new creations and a four limited editions Nautilus anniversary, reflecting the Manufacture’s creativity and know-how.

On the occasion of Watches & Wonders 2026, Patek Philippe affirms yet again its singular position in the world of fine watchmaking. Heir to an extraordinary wealth of history and expertise, the Genevan Manufacture perpetuates a tradition of excellence where creativity nourishes technical innovation and each creation combines aesthetic perfection with horological mastery. True to its tradition of innovation, this year Patek Philippe is unveiling new models that express all the vitality and depth of its know-how. Technical mastery reasserts itself particularly in the first Patek Philippe grand complication wristwatch to display the times of sunrise and sunset; and the first grand complication in the Cubitus collection; and a grand complication endowed with a 24-hour alarm function. The Genevan tradition of Rare Handcrafts and horological complications is also under the spotlight with the presentation of the first automaton wristwatch in the Manufacture’s modern history. This piece was inspired by a unique pocket watch exhibited in the Patek Philippe Museum, indicating the hours and minutes on demand and conceived by Louis Cottier in 1958. Similarly to previous years, this vintage also reveals a series of new refined interpretations, where aesthetic sense, elegance and the constant quest for excellence come together in every detail. Finally, 2026 offers Patek Philippe the occasion to celebrate the 50th anniversary of an icon of sporty elegance, the Nautilus, with four new versions in limited editions.

Modern reinterpretation of a treasure in the Patek Philippe Museum

Patek Philippe also reaffirms its commitment to enlivening and enriching the grand Geneva tradition through an exceptional creation showcasing rare handcrafts and horological complications.

Reference 5249R-001 reinterprets one of the jewels of its museum’s collections: a pocket watch indicating the hours and minutes on demand, conceived by Louis Cottier in 1958. Proposing a poetic discovery of time, this rare object is the first automaton in the Maison’s modern history and a first for a Patek Philippe wristwatch. The fascinating animation of time, drawing on the fable “The Crow and the Fox” by Jean de La Fontaine, takes place in an “Officer”-style case, with the dial in rose gold beneath brown “Matara” opaline serving as backdrop.