WATCH OUT: Diamond-encrusted ladies’ timepiece for a sparkling €65,000

IN 2009, Patek Philippe introduced a chronograph intended exclusively for feminine wrists.

It was the exclusive debut of a classic manufacture made chronograph movement – column wheel, horizontal clutch, manual winding – that had been developed entirely in-house. That was also expressed by the name of the watch Ladies First Chronograph Ref. 7071, manufactured until 2016.

Now, the Genevan manufacturer is enriching its collection of complicated wristwatches for ladies and endowing this chronograph – highly coveted by discerning women – with a totally new face.

The new ladies watch – Ref. 7150/250R-001 – is the only chronograph in Patek Philippe’s watch collection for ladies. It is worn on a shiny mink grey alligator leather strap secured with a rose-gold prong buckle that sparkles with the fire of 27 diamonds.

The cushion-shaped case has been replaced with an elegant, round rose-gold case with a diameter of 38 mm featuring a bezel set with 72 diamonds.

Its timelessly sleek design is emphasized by refined vintage look details such as the fluted and delicately curved strap lugs, the round chronograph pushers with manually guilloched faces, and the gently cambered sapphire crystal “box” glass.

The silvery opaline dial also combines a contemporary style with classic aesthetics, showcasing sculpted Breguet hour and minute hands in rose gold and a display layout that makes it eminently legible.

The pulsimeter scale of the new watch  – Ref. 7150/250R-001 – pays tribute to the tradition of classic chronographs that can measure the cadence of an active lifestyle or the slightly increased heart rate of its proud owner.

The compact case accommodates the manually-wound calibre CH 29-535 PS movement with an instantaneous 30-minute counter, crowning its classic architecture with six patented innovations. Its subtlety can be admired through the box-type sapphire-crystal case back that is slightly chamfered to echo the profile of the rear bezel.

This watch will set you back around €65,000 (£57,000).

• Nick Horne, Freelance Correspondent, London