What was Revealed at the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan 2026?

One of more sporadic but exciting events on the wristwatch calendar is Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition, where they display their Rare Handcrafts and showcase regionally inspired creations. The show has taken place in 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023 and now 2026 – each year it visits a different global city such as Dubai, London, Tokyo or for this year’s edition, Milan. The Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan is open from 2 – 18 October, so if you are in Milan over the next two weeks, make sure to visit. It’s taking place at the CityOval building, Piazza Sei Febbraio, with free admission though you do need to book in advance. This year they have revealed 38 new pieces at the show.

Patek Philippe Milan Limited Editions

The Milan Limited Editions are watches available for purchase that are inspired by the Italian city where the exhibition is taking place. They each feature sapphire casebacks with the inscription Patek Philippe Milano 2026.

Ref. 5978P-010 Chronograph Perpetual Calendar

The Ref. 5978P-010 Chronograph Perpetual Calendar combines Patek Philippe’s manual winding chronograph movement with an instantaneous change perpetual calendar for the first time, leading to the creation of the new calibre CH 29-535 PS QI. It’s housed in a 42mm platinum case in a limited edition of 120 pieces at £272,480.

Ref. 5531G-012 Minute Repeater World Time

It has become something of a tradition at Patek’s Watch Art Grand Exhibitions to reveal a worldtimer with a dial depicting a map of the home city in Grand Feu enamel. That’s what we have here, an enamel image of Milan in the centre of the dial of a world time and minute repeater wristwatch. Priced at £686,240.

Ref. 5531G-013 Minute Repeater World Time

A second version of the Minute Repeater World Time with enamel dial, this time depicting Milan at night, with the streets illuminated by street lamps. The movement inside is the calibre R 27 HU with 48-hour power reserve. It’s also priced at £686,240 and limited to five pieces like the Ref. 5531G-012.

Ref. 7047G-010 Minute Repeater

A five piece limited edition Minute Repeater that pairs the sonorous complication with a 38mm Calatrava case. The dial is finished in red lacquer with the carbon fibre motif that they introduced in 2023 as part of a Calatrava revamp. The movement housed inside is the R 27 PS with micro-rotor, protected by the white gold case. It costs £555,050. Together with the Perpetual Calendar and Date model below, it forms the red, green and white of the Italian flag.

Ref. 7147G-010 Perpetual Calendar

The Ref. 7147G-010 Perpetual Calendar is limited to 100 pieces with a 38mm white gold case and vibrant green lacquer dial with the same carbon inspired motif as the Ref. 7047G-010. The movement inside is the 240 Q automatic calibre with 48-hour power reserve, featuring hours, minutes, months, leap year, date, moonphase, days and 24-hour time indication. It’s £111,010.

Ref. 7007G-010 Calatrava Date

A 200-piece limited edition with 38mm white gold case and striking black and white display. The combination of white lacquer base and black accents across the timing scales, Arabic numerals and hands give the piece quite a graphic style. The titular date window is located at 3 o’clock and is powered by the calibre 26-330 S C. Priced at £38,350.

Ref. 5167A-014 Aquanaut Date

The Aquanaut is Patek Philippe’s sportiest model, presented here in steel with a 40.8mm diameter in the classic porthole shape of the collection. It has a fumé blue gradient punctuated by red across the minute track and central sweep seconds hand. The colour combination gives the piece a sharp, energetic feel. It’s limited to 250 pieces at £35,330.

Patek Philippe Gondolo Ladies First Collection

Alongside the Milan Limited Editions, Patek Philippe have used the Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milan as an opportunity to unveil the new Gondolo Ladies First collection. A series of six watches dedicated to the feminine with 31mm x 34.8mm cushion cases set with diamonds and housing quartz E15 movements.

There are three versions with diamond set flanges. Those are the Ref. 7043GR-001 bi-metal edition with a white and rose gold case with a silver opaline dial, Ref. 7043G-001 in white gold edition with blue dial and Ref. 7043R-001 in rose gold with brown dial. Then, there are three Joaillerie versions with diamond set dials, flanges and cases. Ref. 7043/250GR-001 in bi-metal with amethyst accents, Ref. 7043/250G-001 in white gold with blue topaz accents and lastly Ref. 7043/250R-001 in rose gold with tsavorite.

For pricing, the normal versions are £30,280 and the Joaillerie editions are £55,510.

Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts

Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcrafts are the highlight of the Watch Art Grand Exhibition. Examples of Patek’s mastery of the Métiers d’Art including but not limited to enamel, gemsetting, engraving, marquetry and micro-painting. There are 25 new pieces produced for the Milan exhibition, spanning  wristwatches, pocket watches and table clocks.

Ref. 7040/250G-011 Florentine Mosaic is a Calatrava Minute Repeater with a micro-painted dial over enamel. Florentine Mosaic is a traditional painting technique used on hardstone with a naturalistic appearance. It depicts a floral motif and is a unique piece.

There is a quartet of Golden Ellipse models called Crouching Lion, Baroque Design, Sunset in Tuscany and The Great Gallery. Crouching Lion is produced in a rare enamelling technique called ‘grisaille enamel au blanc de Limoges’ where white enamel is layered over a dark base. Sunset in Tuscany is wooden marquetry where pieces of wood are assembled to create an image. Baroque Design and The Great Gallery are both micro-painting over enamel.  

Next are a set of nine Calatravas that include lacework motifs, Italian landscapes and a four-piece mini-series dedicated to road tripping around Italy. They are variously presented with gemset or hobnail bezels. There are multiple techniques on display but the dominant one is cloisonne enamel.

Moving to the pocket watches, they again depict famous Italian scenes with the Burano and Venetian Cruise editions. However, they also pay homage to famous Italian artwork and poets with the Stuccoes edition and the Dante edition. I must admit as someone who studied Dante’s Divine Comedy at university, it’s my favourite of the whole exhibition.

Lastly are the table clocks. They are split between the City of Milan edition which is a standalone and then dome clocks inspired by various Italian themes that range from Sicilian Lemons to Rome By Night.

For an on the ground account of the exhibition as well as the other events that have taken place in Milan this month, check out our report from Peter Orlov who spent the weekend in Milan for Milano Watch Week.