Baselworld 2010: Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Single Push-Piece Chronograph Ref. 5950A

A tribute to chrome steel. One of the most interesting watch released by Patek Philippe at Baselworld 2010 is the Patek Philippe Split-seconds Single Push-piece Chronograph Ref. 5950A. This watch is interesting for many reasons. The first is that it is built in stainless steel. It is not that Patek never builds watches in stainless steel, it is just they rarely do. Most of their watch case are built from chrome and platinum. Several variants of the Nautilus and the Twenty~4® are in stainless steel.

The Ref. 5950A

Patek Philippe's press release states:

In haute horlogerie, stainless steel today is just as highly regarded as are platinum and the various hues of gold. This is affirmed by diamond-studded ladies’ watches, by the success of the legendary Nautilus, and by the impressive auction house records established by historic Patek Philippe steel watches from the 1940s. The profound respect with which Patek Philippe watchmakers handle stainless steel is easy to see when looking at a chronograph movement of the Genevan manufacture through a magnifying glass. Every single steel part of the elaborate calibers is finished with the utmost in craftsmanship. So it stands to reason that a movement with such meticulous finissage lavished on its steel components can legitimately be cased in steel.

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Ordinarily, horological bijoux like this ultra-thin split-seconds single push-piece chronograph movement are integrated in precious-metal cases. But Patek Philippe is always good for a surprise, as in 1976 when the manufacture launched its casually elegant Nautilus model with a provocative headline: “One of the world's most expensive watches is made of steel.” The Twenty~4® followed in the 1990s with a novel combination of steel and diamonds. And now, the Ref. 5950A rattrapante chronograph is here, with a cushion-shaped case in solid stainless steel that is water-resistant to 30 meters.

The "A" at the end of its reference number "Ref. 5950A" means stainless steel. "A" stands for acier, the French word for steel. We have no objections to stainless steel watches, especially if it means a lower retail price. It is the movement we prize, and not the material the case is built...

And this watch has a movement to be prized.


Split-Seconds Single Push-Piece Chronograph. As the the name of the watch indicates, it is a split-seconds single push-piece chronograph. A splits seconds chronograph is one with two center second hands, the extra hand moves together with the main chronograph hand but can be stopped independently. Because the hands literally split, it is called "Split Seconds hand" which refers to two hands - a flyback (Rattrapante) hand and a regular chronograph hand. Both hands run concurrently with the ability to time laps or multiple finishing times, the wearer can stop the flyback hand while the chronograph hand continues. This, splits the hand in two. This allows one interval of time to be measured, while allowing the chronograph to continue measuring a second event.

The chronograph is also a mono-pusher. Basically, the chronograph function is operated by a single button located on the crown of the watch. This button starts, stops and resets the chronograph. Another button located 2 o'clock is used to activate the splits seconds feature. While most of chronographs are operated by the use of two buttons, one to start and stop the stopwatch, the second to reset the stopwatch. Some even use three buttons. A mono pusher allows for a single button to start, stop and reset the stop-watch.

Caliber CHR 27-525 PS. Patek Philippe achieved all this using the Caliber CHR 27-525 PS, which has the distinction of being he world’s thinnest rattrapante movement, 27 mm diameter, 5.25 mm height In fairness, part of slimness of the movement is due to the fact that it is a manually wound movement, and not a self-winding one. The fine movement can be viewed from a sapphire crystal case back.

The watch measures 37 mm by 37 mm. The time of day is indicated with two leaf-shaped hands blackened 18K white gold. The Breguet numerals on the dial are also in blackened 18K white gold. The watch has two subdials with circular guilloché patterns: the running seconds are displayed at 9 o'clock, and the continuously running 60-minute counter is positioned at 3 o'clock. Both leaf-shaped subdial hands are also made of black oxidized 18K white gold to match the overall personality of the watch. The case is water resistant to 30 meters.

About Patek Philippe. Patek Philippe & Co. was founded in Switzerland in 1851. The company's emblem, the Calatrava Cross, was adopted by it at the end of the 19th Century. It is acknowledged as one of the finest, if not the finest, watchmaker in the world.