FabR[Senior Patek Moderator]
26166
Indeed, gemsetting can itself be considered a Rare Handcraft, and the job Patek's artisans do on these pieces is nothing short of spectacular! ;-)
In fact, the quality of Patek's work in this area is so high that it's virtually immediate to tell a factory set 5719 apart even from the "best" 5711 or 5811 decorated with (or destroyed by, depending on perspective...) aftermarket diamonds!
Of course, the price to the public fully reflects this, with Ref. 5719/10G currently being valued 8.13 times Ref. 5811G at retail...
Here's a little more on the art of gemsetting for all interested Members, from Patek's dedicated Rare Handcraft section on the official site: