Patek Philippe - Split Seconds Chronograph Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5204

Patek Philippe Split Seconds Chronograph Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5204

Innovation rooted in tradition. The new Patek Philippe split-seconds chronograph with perpetual calendar Ref. 5204 features all the traditional assets that impress true connoisseurs – manual winding, two column wheels, horizontal clutch – yet it is also the most modern representative of its category.

The perpetual calendar mechanism of the new 5204 is composed of 182 individual parts and occupies 1.65 mm of the overall movement height of 8.70 mm. This testifies to the manufacture's competence in dealing with complex components such as large levers, date wheels, day and month stars, leap-year cams, lever springs, and other intricate parts. In Patek Philippe timepieces, the appeal of such components lies not only in the precision with which they were crafted but also in the lavish finishing work invested in them. This work is done not just for the sake of beauty. Smoothly polished surfaces generate less friction, reduce wear, and transmit kinetic energy more efficiently.

Despite the complexity of the functions offered, the well-organized dial presents the twelve separate indications with exemplary clarity and legibility. It features the typical face of classic Patek Philippe calendar chronographs with the addition of a split-seconds hand. True to tradition, the day of the week and the month are displayed in two in-line apertures beneath 12 o'clock. The analog date dial at 6 o'clock incorporates the moon phase display. The continuous subsidiary seconds and the jumping 30-minute chronograph counter are located at 9 and 3 o'clock, respectively, in dials whose centers are shifted slightly below the horizontal centerline of the main dial. This layout is a typical design feature of the movement. The small round aperture between 4 and 5 o'clock indicates the leap-year cycle, and a second one between 7 and 8 o'clock accommodates the day/night indicator that simplifies corrections of the calendar functions.

The silvery opaline dial is crafted from 18K gold; it has twelve applied baton hour markers in white gold with luminescent fillings. Together with the black-oxidized gold hour and minute hands, also with Superluminova fillings, the markers assure outstanding legibility in the dark.

The new Ref. 5204 is housed in a platinum case with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 14.19 mm. The sleek, round, three-part case with straight lugs has a cambered crystal secured in a concave bezel; the sapphire-crystal display back can be replaced with a solid-platinum case back that is delivered with the watch. The case is marked with a flawless Top Wesselton diamond discreetly set between the lugs at 6 o'clock, where it is noticed only by the wearer.

A superb timepiece.