They say you should always trust your gut. In watchmaking, as in everyday life, it is an ill-advised notion. I want to put myself out there as a cautionary tale of what prejudice can do to one's love for watches. Let me explain.
When I first saw the Golden Ellipse by Patek Philippe, I thought it was antiquated, weird looking and even a bit lazy. The first time I put one on the wrist, reluctantly at that, was when they introduced the current ref. 5738. I became instantly besotted with it. To the point where I can safely say that it is the one Patek I would rather wear than any other.
I've been through a second such epiphany. It was when I first saw an Ellipsocurvex by Daniel Roth, some fifteen years ago. I thought it was a desperate attempt at looking different. That it was odd and unbalanced. And as soon as I put it on I wished I had never opened my mouth. Again, I was smitten. Still am. So what happened to me? How could I have got me so wrong... twice? What had I missed ? Could it be that these two blows to my preconceptions are a teachable moment?
The Ellipse is undeniably odd a shape. It is one of the several ways to intersect a rectangle and a circle. Circle at the top ends, rectangle on the sides. But this general principle is only the beginning of a design. Reducing a watch case to its outline is always a misleading exercise. Because even though they are in the same general family, Patek's and Roth's designs are in fact very different.
Patek Philippe's Golden Ellipse is all about its curves. The flanks are not straight but ever so sightly arched. The transition between the horizontal and vertical parts is as smooth as can be. It is undeniably the product of a great design effort, at the most adequate time as it was designed in the heyday of weird shapes, namely the late 60's. And please don't talk to me about that Golden Ratio thing. Dozens of near-perfect watches perfectly do without it.
Now consider Daniel Roth's Ellipsocurvex. As early as Mr. Roth created his namesake brand in the 1990's, he put his movements into this self-designed case. Parallel sides, top-ends that are widely curved and no transition between the two but a clear-cut inflexion point : it's as straightforward as can be. But again, there is more to the design than mere lines. The entire outline has a godroon, and the lugs are steeply crooked, which gives it a distinct character.
What's more, a case will only take you so far. What matters is really what you make out of it. In terms of styling, there could barely be wider a gap between the Roth and Patek approach. The former used to work for Breguet, so he developed his Ellipsocurvex-housed collections with the sense of patterns and details of his former employer. Wide numerals, guilloché or stamped dial patterns, a fluted caseband and a host of complications that populate the visible surface.
The latter keeps it clean to the point of nearing void. A smooth dial with barely a sunburst finish under straight, thin and flat hands. The Patek name is in skinny font. Hey, they didn't even use lugs so how much more uncluttered can that thing be ? And did I mention I don't like watches with either none or a single central lug?
Here’s the kicker. I'm not a fan of nude watches. They tend to lack substance. And conversely, I think the original Roth language was overdoing it. Yet put a Golden Ellipse on my wrist and I'll systematically try to sneak away with it. To me it is pure class. Put a Daniel Roth in my hand and I'll go sit somewhere and look at it for a while. Still equally puzzled and smitten, I might try to abscond with it too. When it elicits feelings, surprises and defied expectations of that magnitude, even after decades in the business, you have to ask yourself : what's not to love about watches?
FAQ:
Q: What is the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse?
A: The Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse is a watch collection built on the golden ratio, blending a rectangle's flanks with a circle's rounded ends. Introduced in the late 1960s, its current model, reference 5738, features smooth, near-imperceptible transitions between the straight and curved parts of the case.
Q: What are Daniel Roth watches known for?
A: Daniel Roth watches are known for the Ellipsocurvex collection, launched in the 1990s by watchmaker Daniel Roth, formerly of Breguet. The self-designed case has no bezel or lugs, only a clear-cut inflection point between curves, paired with wide numerals, guilloché or stamped patterns, and a fluted caseband.
Q: What is an ellipse watch case?
A: An ellipse watch case combines two geometric shapes: a circle at the top and bottom ends, and a rectangle along the sides. That's only the starting point, though, since reducing any case to its outline overlooks how the transitions between curves and straight lines are actually handled.
Q: What is the history of the Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse?
A: The Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse traces back to the late 1960s, an era of experimental, unconventional watch shapes. Its case has straight flanks and rounded ends, with barely any visible transition between the two. Reference 5738 is the current model carrying this decades-old design forward.
