Fourth in rank. Another Grand Complication released by Patek Philippe this year is the Ref. 5216R which combines perpetual calendar, retrograde date, and moon phase, minute repeater and tourbillon, complications. This Ref. 5216R is a a updated version of the Ref. 5016 launched in 1993. Like other updated watches it sports a larger case, this one at 39.5 mm, larger than the 36.8 mm span of its predecessor, the Ref. 5016. The case is made of Rose Gold, hence the R designation.
In terms of degree complication, the new Ref. 5216R occupies ranks fourth in the Patek Philippe hierarchy, behind the Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 5002, the new Triple Complication Ref. 5208, and the Ref. 5207. Ordinarily, a watch like this would be the flagship release of the year, however, it takes a back seat to the Ref. 5208P, also announced by Patek Philippe at BaselWorld 2011. Some may disagree about the ranking though.
Grand Complication. There is a difference of opinion among horologist as to what constitutes a Grand Complication. Some define a grand complication as one having at least one complication from the three different groups: Timing, astronomical and striking complications. Other horologist claim that there are three grand complications, the Tourbillon, the Minute Repeater and the Perpetual Calendar. The Ref. 5216R easily qualifies under any of the divergent opinions.
Perpetual Calendar. Displaying a date on their dial is no difficult task, but making one which displays the correct date for a year or several years is. Most date complications simply change once per day for thirty-one days. But since some months have only thirty, twenty-nine or twenty-eight days, you need to adjust the date at least five time per year to adjust for the months with less than thirty-one days.
A perpetual calendar is a mechanism that automatically takes into account the varying number of days in each month as well as leap years so that the watch displays the correct date each month without the need of adjustment. A perpetual calendar watch will not need correction for more then a century.
Retrograde date display. The date on the Ref. 5216R is displayed by a red-tipped fourth hand, which runs from the 8 o'clock to the 4 o'clock position. This hand moves clockwise from the 8 o'clock to the 4 o'clock position, along a 270 degree arc, slowly over the period of one month, and than jumps back to the number 1 at the end of the month moving in the reverse direction. This is the retrograde complication.
Tourbillon. First invented in 1795 by Abraham-Louis Breguetto, the Tourbillon is designed to counter the effects of gravity. Breguet built a watch that rotated the balance wheel of a clock through 360 degrees. This is accomplished by mounting the escapement in a rotating frame, called a "carriage" which turns at regular intervals, usually once a minute. This rotation reduces the positional errors of the movement.
At that time Breguet invented the tourbillon almost all watches were pocket watches or clocks which stayed in one position most of the time. The only time a pocket watch changes position is when it's taken out by the owner to check the time. The effect of gravity on a watch or clock kept in one position all the time, like a pocket watch, is particularly noticeable on the escapement, especially the balance which rocks back and forth. This can lead to inaccuracies. Breuget's solution was the tourbillon.
Minute repeater. A repeater is a complication in a mechanical watch that audibly chimes the hours and minutes at the press of a button. This complication originated to allow the time to be determined in the dark, and were also used by the visually impaired. The minute repeater chimes the time down to the minute, using separate tones for hours, quarter hours, and minutes, usually with low tones for the hours, a sequence of two tones for the quarter hour and high tones for minutes.
The movement in this watch is the manually wound mechanical Caliber R TO 27 PS QR LU movement which runs at the rate of 21,600 vibrations per hour, and has a 48 hour power reserve. The movement, is visible through a sapphire crystal caseback.
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.
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