Timely Trio

TIMEPIECES timely trio

THREE NEW PRODUCTS FROM PATEK PHILIPPE ADD LUSTER TO THE TWO-CENTURY

Until nine years ago it was believed that the chronograph—derived from the Greek words “chronos” meaning time and “graphein” meaning to write—was invented by a man named Nicolas Mathieu Rieussec in 1821. Designed to time horse races and accurate to the second, Rieussec’s mechanism dropped a spot of ink on the dial to mark the interval, literally writing time as the name suggests.

However, in 2013 it was discovered by watch historians—including Arnaud Tellier, former head of the Patek Philippe Museum—that a watchmaker named Louis Moinet had, in fact, created a stopwatch mechanism five years earlier, in 1816. Intended to be used for astronomy, Moinet’s invention was accurate to 1/60th of a second. Much like modern chronographs, Moinet’s invention did not use ink. (Nor did it get much ink, as for a long time all the fame went to Rieussec’s as the first marketed chronograph.)

Though the chronograph’s origin story has changed, its name and its status as one of the most popular and useful watch complications live on. Patek’s long history of innovation in complicated watches has included the chronograph since 1902, the year of its patent for the first double chronograph pocket watch. In 1923 the company sold the first split-seconds chronograph, and since 2005 it has offered a complete range of chronograph movements, with and without additional functions, designed and crafted entirely within its workshops. Recently, the manufacturer expanded its collection by unveiling three new chronograph variations: (1) a split-seconds chronograph with a perpetual calendar (Reference 5204R-011); (2) a self-winding World Time flyback chronograph (Reference 5930P-001); and (3) a self-winding flyback chronograph with an annual calendar (Reference 5905/1A-001).

The newest version of the split-seconds chronograph with perpetual calendar Reference 5204 is designed to evoke a contemporary spirit with its hand-polished rose gold case and matching slate gray dial and strap. Besides the chronograph function, the 5204 features Patek’s most advanced calendar function, the perpetual calendar. Considered a grand complication, the perpetual calendar accounts for all monthly variations including leap year and will not need to be manually adjusted until the year 2100 (the first century year not divisible by 400).

On the slate-gray sunburst dial, the day and month are displayed in two in-line apertures at 12 o’clock. The date hand at 6 o’clock incorporates the moon-phase aperture. Small seconds and the instantaneous 30-minute counter appear on two subdials at 9 and 3 o’clock. Two small round apertures display the leap-year cycle between 4 and 5 o’clock and the day/night indication between 7 and 8 o’clock. The new 5204 is available with

TRADITION OF THE CHRONOGRAPH. By Christen Fisher

interchangeable sapphire crystal and solid casebacks.

Patek’s second new release, Reference 5930P001, combines two functions: a self-winding flyback chronograph and the iconic World Time. The 5930’s movement, caliber CH 28-520 HU, is equipped with a column wheel and the modern disk-type vertical clutch allowing the central hand to be used as a running seconds display. The 4 o’clock pusher enables instant restarting of the timing operation when the central hand is already performing an operation (“flyback” function) or is being used as a seconds display. The World Time function simultaneously displays the time in 24 time zones. When changing time zones, an exclusive patented mechanism enables correction of all displays by pressing the 10 o’clock pusher, without affecting the accuracy of the movement.

Originally launched in 2016 in a white gold version with a blue dial and matching strap, Patek’s newest iteration of the 5930 is sporty yet cosmopolitan, combining the brilliance of platinum with a green dial and strap. The 39.5-millimeter, hand-polished platinum case is set with a diamond at 6 o’clock and features “wing-type” lugs reminiscent of World Time watches of the 1940s and ’50s. The names of the cities are printed in green on the corresponding disk. The green dial center is hand-guilloched in a circular pattern. The new 5930 is presented on a bottlegreen shiny alligator strap with a foldover clasp.

The maison’s third new release is a self-winding flyback chronograph with Annual Calendar, Reference 5905/1A-001, in the rarely used but highly desirable steel. First launched as a platinum model in 2015, then in rose gold in 2019, Reference 5905 combines two practical and easy-to-use complications: a self-winding flyback chronograph and a patented annual calendar. The annual calendar accounts for monthly variations and only requires adjustment once per year on March 1.

With a distinctively sporty feel, the new 5905 features a sunburst olive green dial with a central chronograph hand, a large 60-minute subdial at 6 o’clock and three day/date/month apertures arranged in an arc for instant reading of the Annual Calendar indications. The self-winding mechanical movement Caliber CH 28-520 QA 24H also has a vertical disktype clutch instead of toothed-wheel horizontal clutch, which allows the central chronograph seconds hand to be used as a running seconds display with virtually no wear and tear. The 42-millimeter polished steel case is equipped with a sapphire-crystal caseback and set on an integrated bracelet with contrasting polished and satin finishes. Whether it is one of these three latest versions or another of the more than 20 variations in the current collection— including a chronograph made exclusively for women (Reference 7150/250R-001)—the people at Patek Philippe believe you’re sure to find one of their chronographs that suits your needs and style.

Opposite page, from left to right; Patek Philippe 5204 Grand Complications features a split-second chronograph and a perpetual calendar, as well as a slate gray sunburst dial, gold applied hour markers with luminescent coating and an 18K gold dial plate; The Ref. 5930 self-winding World

Time flyback chronograph is available in a new version which combines a platinum case with a green dial and strap. This page, Ref. 5905 self-winding flyback chronograph has a sunburst olive green dial and a handsome steel bracelet; Complication Ladies’ Ref. 7150 in 18K rose gold has a diamond bezel, sapphire crystal case back and a brown alligator leather strap.