Even though it has only been a decade since it was discontinued, reference 5970 already belongs to “the classics” in the hearts of Patek Philippe collectors. This is due to a number of factors. From an aesthetic standpoint, the watch is a masterpiece of balance and design. The dial echoes the 1940s style, characterized by railway divisions, with influences from more modern pieces, such as the subsidiary counters inherited by its ancestor reference 3970. The 40mm case size is ideal for today’s taste: neither too small nor too large. Technically, this is the last perpetual calendar chronograph with moon phases made by Patek Philippe to employ a Lemania-based movement. Its successor, reference 5270 would feature an in-house movement. Furthermore, among the three modern references with this complication (3970, 5970 and 5270) it is the one that stayed in production for the shortest time: only seven years from 2004 to 2010. Such a mix of appealing traits results in one of the most sought-after modern Patek Philippe timepieces.

The present examples pushes the boundaries of collectability even further as it is not only as close to new as a wristwatch can be, with all of its accessories, but most importantly it features a Tiffany signature on the dial. A very rare occurrence for any Patek Philippe model, it would appear to be an outstandingly scarce customization when it comes to this reference: this is the first white gold Tiffany-signed example of ref. 5970 to appear at auction and the second overall, the first one being a pink gold specimen sold in 2009.