Patek Philippe has used its Milan Grand Exhibition to place fresh attention on one of its most distinctive shaped-watch families.
The new Gondolo Ladies First line arrives as six references, split between richly gem-set jewellery watches and more restrained dial-focused versions.
It’s a quiet but telling move from the Geneva watchmaker, giving the women’s catalogue a shaped, decorative watch that doesn’t rely on mechanical complexity to make its point.
At a glance
- Patek Philippe has introduced six new Gondolo Ladies First watches during its Grand Exhibition in Milan.
- All six use a 31 by 34.8mm gold case, the quartz E15 calibre and a jewellery-led interpretation of the square Gondolo form.
- The line includes three gem-set dial references and three fully set Joaillerie models with 687 brilliant-cut diamonds.
The Gondolo returns as a modern jewellery watch
The Gondolo name sits deep in Patek Philippe history, with roots that stretch back to early 20th-century watches made for the Brazilian retailer Gondolo & Labouriau.
Those early pieces helped define a language of rectangular and tonneau-shaped wristwatches that still feels inseparable from Art Deco design.
Patek Philippe formally established Gondolo as a collection in 1993, giving the manufacture a dedicated home for strong geometry, shaped cases and more expressive proportions.
The new Ladies First references continue that thread with a softly rounded square case that measures 31 by 34.8mm and sits 8.03mm high.
That size is deliberate rather than decorative theatre, keeping the watches within the realm of daily wear despite the quantity of stones involved.
Six references in gold, diamonds and coloured stones
The collection is divided into three Gondolo Ladies First references and three Gondolo Ladies First Joaillerie references.
The dial-set models are the white-gold Ref. 7043G-001, the rose-gold Ref. 7043R-001 and the two-tone rose and white-gold Ref. 7043GR-001.
Each keeps the diamond setting to the dial flange, while the central dial brings in colour through blue-grey, chestnut or white opaline finishes.
The Joaillerie watches move into full high-jewellery territory with the Ref. 7043/250G-001, Ref. 7043/250R-001 and Ref. 7043/250GR-001.
Each of these is set with 687 brilliant-cut diamonds across the case and dial, including 253 diamonds on the case and lugs, 108 on the dial flange and 303 arranged in a concentric spiral at the centre.
The hour markers add a sharper note of colour, using trapezoid-cut blue topaz on the white-gold model, green tsavorite on the rose-gold model and purple amethyst on the two-tone model.
Wearability leads the technical brief
All six watches are powered by Patek Philippe’s quartz calibre E15, displaying hours and minutes only.
For a line positioned around ease, jewellery presence and everyday use, that choice makes sense.
The watches are rated to 30 metres of water resistance, which is now typical for many Patek Philippe dress references and keeps the emphasis firmly on elegance rather than sport.
The non-Joaillerie models also take a slightly more relaxed approach to straps.
Instead of glossy alligator, they use calfskin, including Patek Philippe’s denim-pattern finish and a full-grain beige calfskin option for the two-tone white opaline version.
That material shift gives the less diamond-intensive references a more casual character, especially for collectors who want the Gondolo shape without the full spectacle of a high-jewellery case.
Details & Specifications
| Brand | Patek Philippe |
|---|---|
| Collection | Gondolo Ladies First |
| References | 7043G-001, 7043R-001, 7043GR-001, 7043/250G-001, 7043/250R-001, 7043/250GR-001 |
| Case size | 31 x 34.8mm |
| Thickness | 8.03mm |
| Case material | White gold, rose gold, or two-tone white and rose gold depending on the reference |
| Movement | Quartz calibre E15 |
| Functions | Hours and minutes |
| Water resistance | 30 metres |
| Gem setting | Joaillerie models set with 687 brilliant-cut diamonds |
| Hour markers | Blue topaz, green tsavorite or purple amethyst on the Joaillerie references |
| Straps | Denim-pattern calfskin or full-grain beige calfskin on selected non-Joaillerie references |
The six new Gondolo Ladies First watches show Patek Philippe treating women’s watchmaking as a space for proportion, colour and craft rather than simply a smaller version of familiar men’s designs.
For collectors drawn to shaped cases and jewellery technique, this is one of the more focused additions to the modern Gondolo family in recent years.
