The reference 5059 was introduced in 1998 to replace the previous reference 5050, the first serially produced perpetual calendar with a retrograde date by Patek Philippe. Discontinued in 2006, it was produced in all four precious metals and is particularly noteworthy for its “officer”-style hinged caseback and elongated lugs with screwed pins. Though the case diameter measures 36 millimeters, the shape and size of the lugs, as well as the thickness of the case and its domed bezel, give the 5059 a significant presence on the wrist. Encased in yellow gold, it is particularly elegant and sublime, even more so given the stark white dial contrasted with the painted black Roman numerals.

The automatic caliber 315 S-QR with 21K gold rotor is a robust, state-of-the-art in-house movement featuring an intriguing retrograde date complication as part of its perpetual calendar function. At the end of each month, the date hand automatically flies back to its original starting point – a very difficult function to reliably implement in watchmaking.

Offered with its Certificate of Origin and with day and month indicators in Italian, the present lot is very well-preserved. The reference 5059 and its contemporary reference 5050 are the successors to a long line of perpetual calendar wristwatches, and the first offered by the brand since the iconic reference 2497 was discontinued in 1963.