Artisans de Genève Unveils the 66g Patek Philippe Aquanaut Project
Artisans de Genève, a company specialising in the customisation of luxury watches, has revealed its latest project, a customised version of the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Ref. 5167 known simply as "The 66g".
As the name suggests, the finished watch weighs just 66 grams. The primary objective of the project was to remove as much unnecessary material as possible in order to create an exceptionally lightweight watch.
The project was commissioned by a French-Italian client identified by the initials M. V.A., whose background in motorsport played a central role in shaping the concept. During the 1970s, he worked on European racing circuits, focusing on reducing vehicle weight to improve agility and performance. The same philosophy has been applied to this Aquanaut.
Image source: www.artisansdegeneve.com
Grade 5 Titanium Case with Titalyt® Treatment
The watch features a Grade 5 titanium case finished with Titalyt® treatment.
Titalyt® is an electrochemical oxidation process that gives the metal its matte grey appearance while also improving surface durability and wear resistance.
Image source: www.artisansdegeneve.com
Openworked Dial Inspired by 1970s Motorsport
The dial has been extensively opened to reveal the mechanics beneath.
Several visible wheels are manufactured from yellow gold, creating a contrast against the rhodium-finished components of the movement. The contrast between the yellow gold wheels and the rhodium-finished surfaces recalls the appearance of racing cars from the 1970s.
The same inspiration extends to the yellow Rubber B strap, produced from natural rubber. Its vivid colour recalls the bright bodywork commonly seen on competition cars of that era.
Skeletonised Calibre 26-330®
Powering the watch is the calibre 26-330®, which has been extensively skeletonised.
The movement has been reworked to remove as much material as possible while preserving only the essential elements of the mechanism. The open architecture allows a clear view of the movement.
Particular attention is drawn to the rose gold hands, which feature manually bevelled edges. For improved legibility, both the hands and the white-and-yellow hour markers are treated with luminous material. The lume applied to the hour markers emits a green glow in low-light conditions.
Customisation Cost
Artisans de Genève states that the cost of the customisation work for The 66g amounts to CHF 69,520, excluding the price of the donor watch itself.
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