Since Cortina Watch’s founding in 1972, it has represented one of the most respected brands in Swiss watchmaking – Patek Philippe. What began as a professional encounter between the founder of Cortina Watch, Mr. Anthony Lim, and the late Mr. Henri Stern over 66 years ago developed into a longstanding retail partnership that has helped to establish both brands across the Southeast and East Asia region. Today, Cortina Watch exclusively manages six Patek Philippe Calatrava Cortina Watch 50th Anniversary specialist boutiques across Asia.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Cortina Watch’s founding as well as five decades of partnership with Patek Philippe in the region, a special limited-edition watch has been created for the occasion. The Patek Philippe Ref. 5057G-010 is a new edition of the Ref. 5057R-001 created for Cortina Watch in 1997 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Limited to 100 pieces, it will be available this year.
The new white gold Ref. 5057G-010 produced specially for the 50th anniversary features the same triple row guilloched “Clous de Paris” hobnail bezel as the first model created for Cortina Watch in 1997 to celebrate its 25th anniversary, with a charcoal grey sunburst dial with a black-gradient rim, white transfer-printed Roman numerals and white gold, pear-shaped hands.
Powered by the Caliber 240 PS IRM C LU, the display indicates the date, moon phases and power reserve on two subdials, with a small seconds indication between the four and five o’clock hour markers. The ultra-thin, self-winding movement has a 48-hour power reserve and can be viewed through the transparent sapphire caseback, which bears a commemorative inscription “Cortina Watch 50th Anniversary Since 1972” in white.
Patek Philippe has also created a unique dome clock in Grand Feu cloisonné enamel for the 50th anniversary celebration of Cortina Watch. The Ref. 20145M-001 “Singapore Skyline” celebrates Singapore’s beautiful urban landscape, from the Merlion mascot to the Central Business District, Gardens by the Bay, the Esplanade, and Marina Bay Sands, where the second Patek Philippe boutique was opened in Singapore by Cortina Watch.
To create the contours of the city skyline and its most emblematic monuments, the enameller used 9.2 m of 24K gold wire (18.45 g) measuring 0.2 x 0.6 mm in cross-section, cut into tiny segments, and shaped by hand.
For the scene’s magical tints, with their subtle gradations and layered effects, a palette of 50 enamel colors was used: 47 transparent, 1 opaque and 2 opalescent. Each enameled plate required from 10 to 14 firings at temperatures between 890º and 910º C. A shower of 50 gold stars and fireworks, made using gold and silver dust, cascade the sky to celebrate the jubilee. A guilloched hour circle with dentate edges echoing the flowers in the garden city, set with 12 baguette markers made of lapis lazuli (2.27ct), frames a dial center in cloisonné enamel. An engraved inscription “Cortina Watch – 50th Anniversary – Since 1972” is discreetly indicated on the clock. The dome table clock is powered by the Caliber 17’’’ PEND mechanical movement rewound by an electric motor.