Introduced at Baselworld 2011, the reference 5208 was first released in platinum featuring an elegant sunburst gray dial. Extremely well-received by collectors and offered only to the most important clients of Patek Philippe, the platinum model was discontinued in 2018 making way for the subsequent iteration in pink gold.
The case is also a masterpiece itself, a meeting of past and present. Elegant and attractive in all angles, the three-body case features a slider on the left and the single button chronograph evokes vintage chronographs from the 1930s and 1940s. As a contrast, the hollowed lugs gives the reference a modern aesthetic, highlighting the concave polished bezel.
The reference is powered by the firm’s in-house self-winding cal. R CH 27 PS QI, a mechanical metropolis composed of 719 individual parts. Originally inspired from the cal. CH 27-525 PS featured in the split-seconds single-button chronograph ref. 5950, a minute-repeater and perpetual calendar module is further integrated. A lever composed of 15 individual components allows the instantaneous calendar to advance. For the repeating function, a “gong” rimming the circumference of the movement has been fitted, with two hammers striking against it, producing an opulent chime. Pink gold is considered by some manufactures to be the most resonant case material, and this particular example is elegantly sonorous.
First offered publicly in 2021 at Phillips in Hong Kong, this watch was originally the property of Italian footballer and 2006 World Cup champion Fabio Cannavaro. Regarded as an Italian national hero, Cannavaro's illustrious career started in Napoli's youth team where he quickly became a star defender and was noticed by Parma playing alongside the likes of Gianluigi Buffon. After a few successful seasons, Cannavaro further extended his career in Serie A playing for Internazionale and Juventus. However, the pivotal moment was during his uncanny performance in World Cup 2006, where his defensive skills led the Italian National Team to a victorious game in the finals against France, earning his nickname "Il Muro di Berlino", "The Berlin Wall" in Italian. After the world cup, Cannavaro joined the elites establishing a career at Real Madrid.
Still preserved in near-new overall condition, and with its full suite of accessories, the present reference 5208R comes back to market as demand for elite Patek Philippe timepieces grows ever higher.