BaselWorld 2012: Patek Philippe Ref. 5204P-001

Classic chronographs. Patek Philippe has released excellent chronograph watches in recent years. At BaselWorld 2010, Patek Philippe announced the simple but classically elegant Ref. 5170, which many touted as Patek's best offering off the show.  At BaselWorld 2011, the Ref. 5270 was announced by Patek Philippe, which combined the chronograph function with the perpetual calendar complication.  This year, Patek Philippe brings the Ref. 5204, which combines the perpetual calendar complication with a splits seconds chronograph complication.

Patek Philippe Ref. 5204P-001. The Patek Philippe Ref. 5204 replaces the Patek Philippe Ref. 5004 in the company's line-up. Both watches feature a split seconds chronograph combined with a perpetual calendar, moon phase indicator and a A.M./P.M. indicator.

The new Ref. 5204 has a larger 40 mm case, as compared to the 36.7 millimeters of the Ref. 5004. The new Ref. 5204 also has a redesigned dial and hands. But the differences are more than skin deep. While both watches have manually wound movemenrs, inside, the Ref. 5204 is a brand new Caliber CHR 29-535 PS Q movement which beats at 28,800 vibrations per hours and has a 65 hour power reserve. The movement in the Ref. 5004 beat at a slower 18,000 vibrations per hour and had a shorter 60 hour power reserve. In updating the size of the Ref. 5204 to keep up with the times, Patek also made good use of the additional space. 

Split Seconds. The basic chronograph allows the measurement of a single event, and soon watchmakers began searching for a way to simultaneously measure multiple events beginning at the same time.

This was done by having two chronograph seconds hand, one of which could be stopped while allowing the second one to continue moving. This complication was called the split-seconds chronograph. A split-seconds chronograph features a clutch system with clamps that connect and disconnect the split-seconds hand and the main chronograph hand. A third button is added to the chronograph to activate the stopping of the split-seconds hand. Pressing this third button again allows the split-seconds hand hand to catch up with the chronograph hand, and the two hands, superimposed, continue together.

Perpetual Calendar. Many watches display the date on their dial. But since some months have only thirty, twenty-nine of twenty-eight days, you need to adjust the date at least five time per year. 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.

In addition to the two main complications, the splits seconds chronograph and perpetual calendar, the Ref. 5204 has several other complications. The watch displays the day and month at the 12 o'clock position. At the 3 o'clock it has the standard 30 minute chronograph counter. At the 6 o'clock, the watch displays the day of the month and the moon phase indicator. 

A small round aperture at between the 3 to 4 o'clock positions indicates the leap year cycle, while another small round aperture at between the 3 to 4 o'clock positions serves as a day night indicator. Two case backs are provided with the watch. A full platinum case back and another with a sapphire crystal glass which allows you to view the movement.

The Ref. 5204 is only available in a Platinum case at present. 

About Patek Philippe. Patek Philippe & Co. was founded in Switzerland in 1851. The companies 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.