Covid-19 drove Patek Philippe to delay its product launches until the autumn of last year, but the watchmaker was back on track in 2021, unveiling a slew of fresh references in the Calatrava, Nautilus, Aquanaut, Twenty-4 collections and a brand new perpetual calendar.
That makes today’s surprise drop of three fresh chronographs significant from both a product and strategic point of view, as it appears the world’s fourth biggest watch brand has moved to two seasonal launch windows in spring and autumn.
Patek Philippe’s authorised dealers and their customers are going to love that.
Patek Philippe’s heritage in dress watches and grand complications means it is less associated with sporty chronographs, but the three watches unveiled today could not have been made by any other brand, particularly the most sophisticated piece, which combines a split second chronograph and a perpetual calendar.
More on that in a moment.
5905/1A Flyback Chronograph
Dealers phones will be in meltdown this morning for the most populist piece, a steel version of the 5905 (ref. 59005/1A) that was first launched in platinum back in 2015 and in rose gold two years’ ago.
Expect a waiting list, but it is offered for £45,540.
It is an automatic watch with flyback chronograph and annual calendar and comes in a sporty 42mm steel case with integrated three-link bracelet.
Colour of the year, olive green, has been used for a sunburst dial with white gold dauphine hands and applied baton hour markers.
It has a central chronograph hand, small seconds and day, date and month arranged in separated apertures at 10, 12 and 2 o’clock on the dial.
The reverse side has a crystal case back exposing the decorated CH 28-520 QA 24H automatic movement with a gold oscillating weight and 45-55 hour power reserve.
5930P Worldtime Flyback Chronograph
Who but Patek Philippe would combine a flyback chronograph with a world timer and squeeze it into a platinum case less than 40mm in diameter?
We have seen it before, back in 2016 when the 5930 was introduced in a white gold case with blue dial.
For 2021, it has been given the full Irish treatment with an ivy green guilloché dial and matching alligator leather strap.
There are 24 city time zones named in green lettering on white at the edge of dial. Local time for a city is displayed at 12 o’clock and selected using a pusher at 10 o’clock.
The centre of the dial has white gold faceted dauphine hour and minute hands with luminescent coating and a central chronograph hand. A small 30 minute chronograph counter is at 6 o’clock.
Between the green guilloché centre and the outer world timer is a 24 hour disk with day/night indication.
It is powered by Patek Philippe’s beautifully decorated automatic CH 28-520 HU, which is on display through a clear case back.
It could be yours for £77,420.
52014R Split Second Chronograph and Perpetual Calendar
Split second chronographs, effectively two stopwatches in one watch, are typically found in sporty watches designed for the pit wall, but Patek Philippe has paired the complication with the uniquely sophisticated perpetual calendar and presented it in a rose gold case with a slate grey dial for the first time since the 5204 launched in 2016 with a silver or black dial.
The grey sunburst dial is a neutral backdrop to rose gold hands and applied baton hour markers. Gold is also used for moon and stars on the moonphase at the bottom of the dial.
Patek Philippe’s hand wound CHR 29-535 PS Q movement, first seen back in 2021, is displayed in all its complicated glory through an edge-to-edge sapphire case back. There is also an interchangeable closed case back for the watch.
It is on sale in the UK for £238,620.
