Earlier this year WatchPro unveiled its Watches of the Year 2012 – the 10 winning timepieces and 90 highly commended watches that we felt boasted commercial appeal, innovation and had wowed consumers and retailers alike over the past 12 months.
Highly commended in the Classic Watch of the Year category was the Patek Philippe Ref. 5204 Split-Seconds Chronograph with Perpetual Calendar.
This grand complication timepiece from the grand masters of watchmaking is said to come in “three degrees of complexity” that reflect its heritage as a manufacturer.
Indeed, it is a smart timepiece with Patek Philippe’s proprietary chronograph calibre, a perpetual calendar and a split-seconds function, with the split-seconds completely re-designed by Patek’s in-house engineers to reduce the height of the movement.
On the outside, however, the watch is a handsome example of Patek’s design repertoire. Its round platinum 40mm case has a soft white opaline dial that is in fact made from solid gold, while the open caseback can be replaced with a solid platinum back if the wearer is, as the brand puts it, “overwhelmed by so much beauty”.
An unforgettable line from one of the world’s most classic watchmakers.
