Complicated Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe's relationship with chronograph watches dates back more than 150 years to when it created a chronograph pocket watch in 1856. The chronograph has played a role in the watchmaker's development and this year the focus is on these timepieces.
The watchmaker has developed all its movements in-house for a considerable time - with the exception of the chronograph, until now. Patek Philippe has spent considerable resources over the last 10 years developing a chronograph calibre.
Last November, Patek Philippe launched its eagerly awaited manually wound chronograph movement CH 29-535 PS, which debuted in the 7071R Ladies First Chronograph.
The new calibre is the culmination of five years' development and marks a milestone in which Patek Philippe now develops and creates all its complications.
The chronograph movement is controlled by a column wheel and horizontal clutch. It features a large chronograph hand and a seconds subdial, a jumping 30-minute counter and a power reserve of 65 hours.
The launch of the 7071R hinted there would be more to see of this movement, and indeed there is. It now appears in the classic chronograph 5170J. The round case is yellow-gold and in the style of Patek Philippe's Calatrava, a design that harks back to its chronographs from the 1940s. Pusher buttons at two o'clock and four o'clock operate the chronograph function. The silver-white dial has yellow-gold Roman numerals; the seconds subdial and 30-minute counter sit at nine o'clock and three o'clock respectively.
The movement is designed to offer optimum time-keeping and traditional craftsmanship is applied in its creation: old-style bridges and parts are chamfered, polished and decorated almost completely by hand.
Also new is the 5950A split-seconds monopusher chronograph. It has an ultrathin stainless steel case and parts of the calibre are also crafted from the metal. The thinness of the case is down to the movement, which set a new record for being the thinnest column-wheel chronograph when it launched five years ago. The movement is put together and finished by hand. A sapphire-crystal case back displays the mechanisms.
The new 5951P is a grand complication combining a split-seconds chronograph with a perpetual calendar.
The company also launched three new self-winding chronographs.
