Patek Philippe 5189G-001 Calatrava: Grand Prix des Nations-Inspired Luxury Watch with Hand-Enameled Dial

It is not uncommon for watch collectors to also be passionate car enthusiasts, which makes the connection between these two worlds feel entirely natural. Reference 5189G-001 leads directly into the era of classic motorsport, more precisely to the 1940s and the “Grand Prix des Nations” held in Geneva between 1946 and 1950. It was the first road race in Switzerland after the Second World War, and in 1948 drivers completed more than 80 laps on a city circuit approximately three kilometres long, running from Avenue de France via Avenue de la Paix to Rue de Lausanne. Giuseppe Farina claimed victory in his Maserati, in a race that, in the aftermath of wartime devastation, symbolically marked a return to optimism and the beginning of a more hopeful era.

The atmosphere of that race has been captured on the dial through a meticulous artistic interpretation: two daring drivers are shown racing along Lake Geneva, with lakeside houses set against a mountainous backdrop, while the Jet d’eau fountain dominates the scene, propelling water up to a height of 140 metres.

The entire composition is rendered within just a few square centimetres of surface, housed in a Calatrava case with a Clous de Paris bezel. Although the motif appears both dynamic and romantic, its true significance lies in the exceptional level of enamel craftsmanship. To achieve such precision, Patek employed cloisonné and paillonage techniques.

In the cloisonné process, the dial is first decorated with a guilloché pattern, after which extremely fine gold wires are applied; in this example, a total of 40 centimetres of wire was used to prevent the blending of 17 different colours.

The number 2 on the racing car is additionally executed using the paillonage technique, in which a layer of transparent enamel is applied over a silver foil that enhances the visual depth. The process requires 12 to 13 firing cycles at 820°C, with each cycle acting as a demanding stress test for the dial—traditionally resulting in a high rejection rate in grand feu enamel work. What survives this rigorous process is a unique piece of craftsmanship, with colours that remain vibrant for decades, telling the story of a motorsport race from Patek Philippe’s hometown. In keeping with the theme, both the hands and the perforated strap are designed in the style of driving gloves, while beneath it all lies the proven ultra-thin automatic Calibre 240.

Only ten examples of these Calatrava watches were produced, due to the extreme complexity of the process, intended for a very small circle of collectors. In doing so, they also carry a reminder that enamelling is a technique more than 3,500 years old, brought here to an almost perfected level.