In 1968, Patek Philippe introduced a watch that ignored the usual rules. No round case, no lugs, no traditional proportions. The Golden Ellipse was built around one thing: the Golden Ratio. A mathematical principle found in art, architecture, and nature, but rarely executed this precisely in watchmaking.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the design, Patek released the 5738R: a modern interpretation that keeps the formula intact but scales it up ever so slightly. The result is a watch that feels both timeless and current.

The 18k rose gold case measures 34.5 x 39.5 mm and just 5.9 mm thick. Slim, sculpted, and perfectly proportioned. The black sunburst dial is pared down to the essentials; applied indices, baton hands, and nothing to get in the way. The crown is capped with onyx, a quiet nod to the brand’s classical design language.

Inside ticks the caliber 240, Patek’s signature ultra-thin micro-rotor movement. Developed to preserve the Ellipse’s slim profile without sacrificing automatic winding, it’s a technical solution that serves the design, not the other way around. No display caseback, no distractions. Just solid gold, as it always was.

This example was sold in 2021 and comes as a full set: original box, certificate of origin, leather folder, and all booklets. Every component intact, as delivered.

Fifty years on, the Ellipse still does what most watches can’t: achieve balance without symmetry, elegance without excess.
Built on ratios, not trends. And that’s why it lasts.