Welcome to our series highlighting the exceptional watches available through PERPETUAL, Phillips’ boutique service offering immediate access to the world’s rarest and most desirable timepieces. You can view all currently available watches by stopping in at our London headquarters at 30 Berkeley Square, or by visiting Phillips PERPETUAL online. Our new "Buy Now" button makes acquiring the watch of your dreams easier than ever.
– ˜By Logan Baker
Patek Philippe was sending a message when it first unveiled the ref. 5101 in 2003.
At a time when a three- or four-day power reserve was standard, Patek pulled out a ten-day reserve tourbillon, wrapped it in platinum, and hid the tourbillon itself from view. It was a pure flex — but done the Patek way: elegant, under the radar, and absolutely uncompromising.
At the time of its release, tourbillons were still rare birds in wristwatches. They weren’t the showroom regulars they are today, slapped onto anything with a price tag north of $50,000. Tourbillons were serious, almost mystical complications, and very few brands had mastered them for the wrist. They were meant to be shown off. But Patek decided to do the opposite, hiding it underneath the dial and only visible through the exhibition caseback.
The only dial-side hint is a quiet "Tourbillon" inscription on the small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock. That’s it. If you know, you know. Flip the watch over and you finally get a view of the beautifully finished movement.
The caliber inside — the T 28-20 REC 10J PS IRM — is wonderful. Rectangular shape, tourbillon, 10-day reserve, small seconds, power reserve indicator. And it's finished to the hilt. Early examples carry the Geneva Seal, later ones bear the Patek Philippe Seal. But you’ll never spot the difference without a loupe, because the finishing is superb across the board.
This movement isn’t just pretty, though. It’s smart. Twin mainspring barrels work together to keep the torque consistent across the entire ten days of autonomy. No wild swings in amplitude like you’d see in some long-reserve watches of the era.
You’ll also find little touches that remind you of Patek’s roots in Observatory trial watches. Gold chatons for the jewels. Perfectly applied Geneva stripes. Rounded and polished anglage on every bridge, especially the tourbillon bridge, which features sharp interior angles that no machine can replicate. The tourbillon cage weighs just 0.3 grams and consists of 72 components.
And then there’s the case. Measuring 30mm across, 51mm lug to lug, and 12.2mm thick, it’s a skyscraper in precious metal. The triple-stepped sides, the arching curve across the wrist, the heavy Art Deco energy. It’s dramatic but wearable.
The dial keeps it simple. Leaf hands, Breguet numerals, power reserve at 12, small seconds at 6, railroad minute track circling the perimeter. No gimmicks. The champagne color featured on the pictured example is rich and warm.
Production was low—probably 300 to 500 examples of the platinum model, followed by pink, white, and yellow gold variants in even smaller numbers. By the time the Gondolo ref. 5200 arrived in 2013, the 5101’s run had ended.
It left a legacy, too. When I spoke with Rexhep Rexhepi a while back, he pointed to the 5101 as a major inspiration during his time as an apprentice at Patek. You can see echoes of its clean design and obsessive craftsmanship in his own Chronomètre Contemporain today.
The pictured example in 18k pink gold dates to 2010 and is available now from Phillips PERPETUAL. It's in superb condition with its original Patek Certificate of Origin, wallet, polished wooden box, and slipcase. It's price at £149,500.
You can learn more about the above watch and view all our currently in-stock models online at Phillips PERPETUAL.
Phillips PERPETUAL offers a boutique experience to clients for both the sale and purchase of fine and rare watches, in London’s Berkeley Square and the Gstaad Palace, in Switzerland.
About Logan Baker
Logan has spent the past decade reporting on every aspect of the watch business. He joined Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo at the start of 2023 as the department's Senior Editorial Manager. He splits his time between New York and Geneva.
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