Patek Philippe's world time watch with a hand-made Grand Feu cloisonné enamel centre. The world-time mechanism traces back to the Genevan watchmaker Louis Cottier, who perfected his Heures Universelles system in 1931; Patek Philippe's first world time wristwatches followed in 1937. The enamel centre is outlined in thin gold wire and filled with enamel fired repeatedly in a kiln, the same technique used on the maker's cloisonné world timers of the 1940s and 1950s.
Reference record
Production
2019–present
Model
World Time (Cloisonne Enamel)
Case material
18k Yellow Gold
Case size
38.5mm
Movement
Automatic
Calibre
Cal. 240 HU
Dial colours
Silver / White
Market value band
$30k – $90k
Notable
—A ring of 24 city names and a revolving 24-hour day and night ring display all 24 time zones at once.
—Louis Cottier perfected the Heures Universelles mechanism in 1931, and Patek Philippe's first world time wristwatches date to 1937. Every modern world-timer, from any maker, descends from his system.
—The white gold 5231G carries a different cloisonné map, of Oceania and Southeast Asia.
What the specification implies
—Cloisonné enamel dials are made individually by hand, so gold wire placement and enamel tone vary slightly between examples of the same reference.
—The enamel centre is framed by the printed city ring and the rotating 24-hour ring rather than extending to the dial edge.
Common questions
When was the Patek Philippe 5231J produced?
The 5231J has been in production since 2019.
What movement does the Patek Philippe 5231J use?
The Patek Philippe 5231J runs the Cal. 240 HU, an automatic movement.
How do I check a Patek Philippe 5231J with Watch Safe?
Look up the watch's serial number in the Watch Safe registry to see whether a record exists or a theft flag is attached. A registry search identifies records for a specific serial; it does not authenticate the watch. Authentication is performed in person by an independent expert authenticator, and Watch Safe records and publishes the result.