Patek Philippe - The Geneva Watch Auction: NINE Geneva Saturday, May 11, 2019 | Phillips

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    Geneva Watch Auction: NINE | Lot 126

    Detail views of Patek Philippe Ref. 5208P

  • Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
    Year: 2015
    Reference No: 5208P
    Movement No: 5'001'134
    Case No: 4'598'063
    Material: Platinum
    Calibre: Automatic, cal. R CH 27 PS Q, 58 jewels, stamped with the Patek Philippe seal
    Bracelet/Strap: Leather
    Clasp/Buckle: Platinum Patek Philippe deployant clasp
    Dimensions: 42mm Diameter
    Signed: Case, dial, movement and clasp signed
    Accessories: Accompanied by Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin stamped by Zurich retailer Beyer Chronometrie and dated July 14, 2015, additional solid caseback, additional leather strap, setting pin, leather folder, leather wallet, product literature, Patek Philippe letter in leather folder, massive wooden presentation box, additional leather winding travel box, additional wooden presentation winding box

  • Catalogue Essay

    Reference 5208P can be considered one of the contemporary masterpieces of the Patek Philippe production. It incorporates a minute repeater, an instantaneous perpetual calendar and a single button chronograph. Thus, it is characterized as a classic Grand Complication, definition reserved only for the timepieces featuring a calendar complication, a chronographic complication and a chiming complication at the same time. The present timepiece however pushes the technological boundaries even further: the perpetual calendar is displayed through three windows at 12 o’ clock, which instantaneously and synchronously jump precisely at midnight. This solution - beyond granting the calendar display minimalist and enormously elegant looks - avoids misreadings due to the classic lengthy date change solution. In order to achieve this, a very specific module (composed by a large lever made out of 15 different pieces) had to be developed in order to transmit the exact amount of power at the correct instant. Furthermore, the calendar is accompanied by the moon phase display, a staple of Patek Philippe perpetual calendar timepieces. The intricacy of this movement becomes apparent when considering it is made out of a mind-blowing 701 components in total.

    The mastery of Patek Philippe went well beyond the making of a complicated movement. The company managed to achieve an extremely uncluttered and elegant dial layout notwithstanding the technical challenges. For example, an intricate system of mechanical deviation had to be developed for the chiming system to correctly “read” the time without interfering with the disposition of the chronograph indications. Also the single button chronograph can be seen as an effort to streamline and de-dramatize the aesthetics of the model.

    Produced in extremely small amounts since 2011, this masterpiece is reserved only for the most distinguished Patek Philippe clients and it is without a doubt destined to become one of the great classics of the company's production. The present example is offered by its original owner and comes with all of its original accessories and even a second Patek Philippe display winding box. Discontinued in 2018 (from last year, only the pink gold version is available), the fact that this is the only third example in platinum to appear on the market highlights the level of attachment collectors show for this outstanding model and the consequent difficulty in sourcing it.

  • Artist Biography

    Patek Philippe

    Swiss • 1839

    Since its founding in 1839, this famous Geneva-based firm has been surprising its clientele with superbly crafted timepieces fitted with watchmaking's most prestigious complications. Traditional and conservative designs are found across Patek Philippe's watches made throughout their history — the utmost in understated elegance.

    Well-known for the Graves Supercomplication — a highly complicated pocket watch that was the world’s most complicated watch for 50 years — this family-owned brand has earned a reputation of excellence around the world. Patek's complicated vintage watches hold the highest number of world records for results achieved at auction compared with any other brand. For collectors, key models include the reference 1518, the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, and its successor, the reference 2499. Other famous models include perpetual calendars such as the ref. 1526, ref. 3448 and 3450, chronographs such as the reference 130, 530 and 1463, as well as reference 1436 and 1563 split seconds chronographs. Patek is also well-known for their classically styled, time-only "Calatrava" dress watches, and the "Nautilus," an iconic luxury sports watch first introduced in 1976 as the reference 3700 that is still in production today.

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126

Ref. 5208P
A very rare and highly important platinum minute repeating single-button chronograph wristwatch with instantaneous perpetual calendar, moonphases, certificate and boxes

2015
42mm Diameter
Case, dial, movement and clasp signed

Estimate
CHF550,000 - 950,000 
€490,000-846,000
$554,000-957,000

Sold for CHF812,000

Contact Specialist
Alexandre Ghotbi
Head of Sale
+ 41 79 637 1724
aghotbi@phillips.com

The Geneva Watch Auction: NINE

Geneva Auction 11-12 May 2019