Major news is an understatement when it comes to the Cubitus, the new watch collection by Patek Philippe introduced last week in Munich. It’s significant because Patek Philippe is what it is: a grand manufacture that stands as the apogee of high-end Swiss watchmaking. That, and the fact that the brand takes its time. A new collection is no minor thing, and the last one the brand launched was the Twenty~4 in 1999, 25 years ago.
The Cubitus is described in a press release by Patek Philippe as a “completely new interpretation of the ‘elegant sporty’ style”. In more practical terms, a square case with rounded corners, and four lateral screws in the ‘ears’ on the sides—a design identity that positions it indubitably as a sibling of the manufacture’s famed Nautilus.
The idea, according to Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern, was simply the desire to have a square watch in the collection. The Cubitus is Stern’s first collection launch for the brand since he was appointed president in 2009. “Since I was quite young,” he says in a quote on the web page for the collection, “I always challenged myself to say, ‘I need to have also a beautiful square watch in the collection.’ ”
Think of it as a dream come true, then, and a big step with regards to Stern’s legacy at Patek Philippe. The design of the Cubitus is particular. Though it has historically created quadrangular shaped cases, Patek Philippe’s contemporary collection has so far been short a square—or one targeted squarely at men, at least. The other square in the offering is the manchette cuff-inspired Twenty~4, a ladies’ model—though these days gendering a timepiece can feel like outmoded orthodoxy.
The collection is launching with three references: the Cubitus Instantaneous Grand Date, Day and Moon Phases ref. 5822P-001 in platinum, ref. 5821/1AR-001 with date display in rose gold and steel with a blue dial, and the ref. 5821/1A-001 with date display in full steel with an olive green dial. All three models feature 45mm diameter cases.
The most horologically exciting of the trio is certainly the Instantaneous Grand Date, Day and Moon Phases model in platinum. It features a specially developed calibre 240 PS CI J LU, a self-winding movement with no less than six patents that improves the jumping mechanism of the different displays.
Most applicably, this new movement bypasses a classic shortcoming of timepieces with a date display. There are no more ‘danger zone’ hours that run the risk of damaging the mechanism—in this model, the time and date can be adjusted freely and without worry.
A neat detail that Patek Philippe connoisseurs may enjoy is the diamond that is traditionally set into the bezel at 6 o’clock on platinum models. Normally a round brilliant, the diamond on the Cubitus is instead a rectangular baguette-cut to match its geometric character.
Other details consistent throughout the Cubitus collection have to do with finishing that plays up its shape. The front of the case and the flat planes of the bezel are vertically satin-brushed, while chamfered edges and case flanks are polished.
The dials also feature horizontal embossing in relief, with sunburst finishing in blue on the platinum and two-tone models, and olive green on the full steel. This is carried through to the rotors and mini-rotors, which are finished with horizontal decoration instead of traditional vertical Côtes de Genève stripes.
