More than words. Press release - "At Baselworld 2011, Patek Philippe is yet again presenting a broad selection of debuts that will delight all connoisseurs and admirers of haute horlogerie with a main focus on Grand Complication watches"... and that was just more than words. This year at Basel 2011, Patek Philippe brought out two watches that now occupy 2nd and 4th in ranks in terms of degree of complexity on their line-up, displacing the watches than held the 2nd and 3rd places last year.
While the triple complication Ref. 5208P and the Ref. 5216R, which also has three major complications, are truly horological wonders, they are not our favorite release from Patek Philippe this year. Neither is the amalgamation of the chronograph and perpetual calendar in the Ref. 5270G, the one the most strikes our fancy.
Patek Philippe Ref. 5496P. Our favorite release this year is the Patek Philippe Ref. 5496P. The Ref. 5496P is a perpetual calendar with a retrograde date hand. In terms of combination of complications, it is nothing new. The Ref. 5496P has the same complications, and even the same dial arrangement as the Ref. 5159 Perpetual Calendar. Both watches run on different movements (Caliber 315 on the Ref. 5159 and Caliber 324 on the Ref. 5496, though I really cannot tell what the difference between the two movements are) but the main difference as far as most people will be concerned is the case.
While the Ref. 5159 uses an officers case, the Ref. 5496P used the same case used on Patek Philippines original commercial wristwatch the Ref. 96. This is the most classic of Patek Philippe cases used on the Ref. 5196, Ref. 5296 and the annual calendar Ref. 5396. This year Patek Philippe pays tribute to its most classic case with two watches, the Ref. 5216R and the Ref. 5496P.
However, the Ref. 5216R is going to be unreachable to all but a handful of people. We do not know how much it will cost, but several hundred thousand dollars is a fair guess. We do not have pricing for the Ref. 5496P, but with any luck, it might come in a just under US$100,000, or thereabouts. That is reasonably priced, for a Patek.
We think that its 39.5 mm size and contemporary (though classic) design will make it the favorite among Patek Philippe's perpetual calendars. While the Ref. 5140 remains our favorite perpetual calendar, many might find its 37mm size small by todays standards. The Ref. 5159, while impressive with its officers case is a little too extravagant looking for a daily driver.
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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