WATCH & JEWELRY /
SIHH＆BASEL
March 30, 2015
PATEK PHILIPPE | New complex timepieces that captivate watch connoisseurs, pursuing the ultimate in mechanism and beauty
PATEK PHILIPPE
Pursuing the Ultimate in Mechanism and Beauty
New Complicated Timepieces Captivate Watch Enthusiasts
Patek Philippe, the pinnacle of Swiss watchmaking, continues to craft mechanical timepieces of "value to be passed down through generations," characterized by their unique style and exquisite mechanisms. The 2011 collection is brimming with complicated watches that watch aficionados have long coveted. Particularly noteworthy are a triple complication model with an unprecedented combination of mechanisms and the brand's first minute repeater for ladies.
Reporting and Writing by Yasuhito Shibuya
Four New Complication Models for Men, Three for Ladies!
Patek Philippe has always been, and remains, at the apex of Swiss luxury watchmaking, symbolizing its enduring value. Born from the hands of skilled artisans, its products, veritable works of horological art, are the crystallization of centuries of Swiss watchmaking history and tradition, serving as a beacon of its esteemed lineage. Among these, the complication models, equipped with intricate mechanisms, stand out as the ultimate expression.
The 2011 Baselworld will likely be remembered as a special year, with a rich offering of complication models for both men and women. The new complication collection comprises six pieces in total: three for men and three for ladies. For men, there are two triple complication models, integrating three distinct complications into a single timepiece,chronographand one model featuring a perpetual calendar. For ladies, there is one each of a minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph, world time, and skeleton model. Furthermore, each of these is equipped with entirely new mechanisms or established, sophisticated complications, making them irresistible to watch collectors.
The Abundance of Ladies' Models is Revolutionary
While all these timepieces are compelling enough to warrant a detailed introduction, if we were to single out one notable men's creation, it would be the Ref. 5208 model, featuring a column-wheel chronograph, minute repeater, and an instantaneous perpetual calendar. Each of these mechanisms is remarkable in its own right, but what is truly groundbreaking is the use of a new material in the movement's core for the first time in a complication model.
Similarly, for ladies, the Ref. 7000 model marks the brand's first minute repeater. However, beyond this, the collection includes the Ref. 7059, the world's first split-seconds chronograph model, and the Ref. 7130, the first world time model, among other ladies' complication pieces that were previously unimaginable.
Perhaps the notion that "complicated watches are exclusively for men" is now a relic of the past. And in this domain, Patek Philippe is undoubtedly a leading force.
Complication Ref. 5208
Single-push chronograph, minute repeater, and perpetual calendar in one timepiece.
This grand complication model features three intricate functions: a minute repeater, which chimes the hours with a rich, beautiful tone akin to church bells using an internal set of gongs and hammers; an ultra-thin (2.4mm) column-wheel single-push chronograph; and an instantaneous perpetual calendar that advances the date precisely at midnight. This complex mechanism, a first for Patek Philippe in this configuration, is powered by energy stored in a micro-rotor automatic winding system located on the reverse side of the movement. Furthermore, the escapement, the heart of a mechanical watch, utilizes cutting-edge components: the "Pulsomax," featuring the new "Silinvar" silicon-based material, for the first time in a Patek Philippe complication model, and the "Spiromax" hairspring, also silicon-based.
Automatic winding, 42mm platinum case, alligator strap, sapphire crystal case back, water-resistant, made to order (price upon order).
Patek Philippe Japan Information Center
Tel. 03-3255-8109