Frequently dubbed as “one of the best watches ever made,” the Patek Philippe reference 5970 is a proud heir to Patek Philippe's prestigious perpetual calendar chronographs. As the first model developed and designed by Thierry Stern upon his accession as president of the company, reference 5970 was first introduced in white gold, like the present watch, and then in pink gold, with later variations in yellow gold and platinum. Produced from 2004 until 2011, it was the last perpetual calendar chronograph model from Patek Philippe to use the Lemania 2310-based movement.

The design of the 5970 takes cues from the past but interprets them in a thoroughly modern way. Forty millimeters in diameter with faceted lugs, it was a notable increase in size from its immediate predecessor, the reference 3970. Still, the larger case does not jeopardize the symmetry and comfort of the watch at all; on the contrary, the watch is extremely wearable and retains a very balanced symmetry.

Preserved in excellent condition having, in our opinion, never been polished, with its full set of accessories including the Certificate of Origin and additional caseback, the present example is a wonderful opportunity to purchase a model that is dubbed by the collector community as one of the greatest Patek Philippe wristwatches of the modern era.