Journal · From the houses
Patek Philippe reimagines the Ladies First as six Gondolo watches in gold
The Joaillerie versions 7043/250R, 7043/250G and 7043/250GR. Photo: Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe has opened a new chapter in its jewellery watches for women. On 1 October 2026 the Geneva manufacture presented six Gondolo Ladies First models, which it calls a modern and colourful reinterpretation of a heritage piece from its own history, the Ladies First Chronograph of 2009. All six are cased in gold, and three of them are covered in diamonds down to the buckle.
Square meets round
The case is the starting point. Patek Philippe gives the Gondolo Ladies First a cushion shape with softened edges and calls it a contemporary reinterpretation of the Art Deco style, square and round in one form, with a spirit the brand describes as modern yet retro. The case measures 31 x 34.8 mm, is 8.03 mm thick, has a solid case back and is water-resistant to 30 metres. Articulated lugs follow the wrist and are meant to make the watch more comfortable to wear.
Three gold versions for every day
Three models form the core of the line. The ref. 7043G pairs a white gold case with a blue-grey opaline dial and a calfskin strap with a denim pattern and white stitching. The ref. 7043R is the rose gold counterpart, with a chestnut opaline dial and a chestnut denim-pattern strap with cream stitching. The ref. 7043GR mixes both colours of gold: a white gold case with a rose gold crown, a silvery opaline dial with rose gold hour markers and a grained beige calfskin strap.
The dials share a concentric wave pattern, applied faceted hour markers in the shape of a trapeze, gold cabochons for the minute scale and leaf-shaped hands. On all three, the dial flange is set with 108 diamonds totalling 0.41 ct, and the prong buckle is in gold.
Joaillerie: 687 diamonds
The three Joaillerie versions, ref. 7043/250, go much further. Their cases are entirely set with 253 diamonds (1.56 ct). The dial, built on an 18K gold dial plate, is paved with 303 diamonds (0.96 ct) in a circular pattern, framed again by the flange of 108 diamonds, and the prong buckle carries another 23 (0.18 ct). In total, each watch holds 687 brilliant-cut diamonds weighing 3.11 ct.
The colour comes from twelve trapeze-cut stones that serve as hour markers. The 7043/250GR, in white and rose gold, has amethysts and a shiny purple alligator strap. The rose gold 7043/250R uses green tsavorites with a green alligator strap, and the white gold 7043/250G has blue topazes and a peacock-blue strap.
According to the manufacture, the diamonds on the flange and in the concentric dial pattern are held by grain setting, a technique that is almost invisible to the naked eye. All gemsetting is done in its own ateliers, where the setters work under special microscopes.
A quartz calibre, finished like the rest
Inside every model runs the quartz calibre E15: 15 x 13 mm, 1.8 mm thick, with 57 parts and 6 jewels, a quartz frequency of 32,768 Hz and a silver oxide battery that lasts about three years when new. Patek Philippe stresses that it builds its quartz movements with the same devotion as its manual-winding and automatic calibres. The launch is accompanied by a campaign titled “I AM. I WEAR.”
For anyone who follows gold watches, the line-up is easy to read: the three 7043 models differ in the colour of their gold and dial, the three 7043/250 in gemstones and strap. The case, the movement and the 108-diamond flange are the same throughout.
