The Sky Moon Celestial is certainly one of the most bold, but arguably one of the most beautiful watches made by Patek Philippe. These references feature the nights sky and moon phases, which rotate slowly around the dial as the stars above change in the night’s sky. While many watches track the seconds, minutes and hours of our lives; the Celestial is for the dreamer looking far in to the future. These watches are some of the most sought after and stunning complicated Patek Philippe watches.
The Sky Moon Celestial History
Patek Philippe introduced the first Celestial in 2002 with the iconic reference 5102. The 5102 (below with blue dial) featured the same starry sky and moon that you seen in the 6102 and a nearly identical case. With the introduction of the 6102 in 2015, Patek Philippe added the months date around the outside oft he dial and a third hand to indicate todays date. This design change allowed Patek to add a date feature while not disrupting the celestial dial with a date window.
The Sky Moon Celestial, ref. 6102 Dial
The dial of the 6102 is made from layers of sapphire crystal. The first, a rich blue or in this case black, sapphire creates the canvas on which the stars are to be displayed. The second sapphire layer features the moon, which rotates with the stars while also change it’s shape to reflect the phases. The final sapphire crystal displays the stars that make this watch so beautiful. At the top of the dial, you will see a circle with directional points N, E, S, W; this indicates the stars visible from Geneva.
The Sky Moon Celestial, ref. 6102 Case
The case on the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Celestial, ref. 6102 is quite large by Patek’s standards, measuring 44mm across and 9.8mm in depth. While large by Patek Philippe standards, the watch wears quite well with a slim profile and is the gorgeous and well balanced watch you would expect by one of Switzerlands most prominent brands.
The Sky Moon Celestial, ref. 6102 Movement
The 6102 features a variation of the Patek Philippe’s self winding Calibre 240 movement, which is also found in other watches from the brand like the World Time ref. 5131 or the Calatrava 6006. The variation in the 6102 is called the Calibre 240 LU CL C, which was created to allow for different speeds to support the sapphire crystal discs mentioned above. It is a characteristically beautiful movement which is displayed through a clear caseback.
Final Thoughts
A number of brands have taken their shot at creating celestial or astronomy watches, but as usual Patek Philippe comes away with the blue ribbon. Even collectors with the most simple and reserved taste cannot deny the craftsmanship and beauty in this incredible time piece.
This Patek Philippe Celestial, ref. 6102R is available here.
