A quadruple complication and more — Patek Philippe demonstrates its mastery of complexity without sacrificing elegance

Quadruple Complication Ref. 5308G-001

When the platinum 5308P-010 made its global debut at Patek Philippe’s Watch Art Grand Exhibition in Tokyo in 2023, it was a statement — proof that the manufacture could push the boundaries of mechanical watchmaking even further. Now, the reference enters the current collection in white gold.

No ordinary timepiece, the 5308G unites four grand complications — a minute repeater, split-seconds chronograph, instantaneous perpetual calendar, and moon phase display — into a single, self-winding movement. Such a combination is not just rare; it is a feat of miniaturisation, energy management, and horological audacity. 

The dial, an ice-blue sunburst expanse, serves as the stage for this mechanical symphony. Crafted from blue-metallised white gold are the faceted baton hour markers and dauphine hands. At 42mm, the white gold case is substantial yet refined, with skeletonised lugs lightening its presence. Inside, the sapphire case back reveals the intricate ballet of the Caliber R CHR 27 PS QI — a movement comprising 799 components.

Powering this complexity is no small challenge. The platinum micro-rotor, denser than its gold counterpart, ensures efficient winding despite the movement’s voracious energy demands. The split-seconds chronograph, operated via a pusher at 4 o’clock, incorporates two patented mechanisms: an anti-backlash clutch wheel to eliminate friction and an isolator that prevents the stopped split hand from draining power. The result is a chronograph that runs with unerring precision, its 60-minute and 12-hour counters displayed at 3 and 9 o’clock.

Moving on to the minute repeater, whose two gongs produce the rich chime that such Patek Philippe creations are renowned for. Slide the actuator at 9 o’clock, and the watch strikes the hours, quarters, and minutes with a clarity that only decades of acoustic refinement can muster. The perpetual calendar, instantaneous in its transitions, is no less impressive. Day, date, month, and leap year appear in apertures, each snapping into place in a flawless 30-millisecond jump — a marvel that requires 220 parts alone.

Desk Clock Ref. 27000M-001

Drawing from the 1923 “Packard” desk clock, which is a perpetual calendar masterpiece commissioned by American collector James Ward Packard, this modern interpretation houses the new manually wound caliber 86-135 PEND S IRM Q SE, a movement seven years in development. 

Comprising 912 components, nearly half dedicated to the perpetual calendar, the movement achieves a 31-day power reserve through three series-coupled barrels while maintaining precision within +/- 1 second per day, a feat enabled by a patented constant-force mechanism that stabilises the balance amplitude throughout its month-long run.

The dial presents a symphony of complications with meticulous clarity. A small eccentric subdial at 12 o’clock displays hours and minutes, while a central jumping seconds hand emulates the precision of vintage regulators. Below, a rotating aperture indicates the current week — a practical addition to the perpetual calendar’s traditional displays, including leap-year indications. The silvery opaline dial, adorned with black transfer-printed markings, ensures legibility, complemented by a central power-reserve indicator.

Innovation extends to the clock’s operation. Beneath a hinged American walnut veneer dashboard, a patented ejection system houses an intricately crafted winding key. Five corrector pushers allow intuitive adjustments, with their alignment achieved through a complex system of intermediate wheels. The moon-phase display, accurate to one day’s deviation in 122 years, reflects Patek Philippe’s commitment to long-term precision.

The 925 silver case, a nod to the Packard original, is adorned with green grand feu flinque enamel panels. Guilloched with swirling patterns and counter-enamelled for stability, these panels required mastery of enamelling on silver — a metal whose melting point skirts perilously close to firing temperatures. 

Vermeil appliques, including winged lions on the clock’s feet and rosette motifs, echo the 1923 design, while an engraved cord motif frames the upper panel and bezel. Before joining the collection, a unique preview of this clock had sold for CHF 9.5 million at Only Watch 2021.

Perpetual Calendar Retrograde Date Ref. 6159G-001

Patek Philippe’s ever-popular perpetual calendar with retrograde date is reimagined in this striking modern interpretation. Encased in 39.5mm of polished white gold, the watch features a distinctive hobnail-pattern guilloche bezel — a signature Patek Philippe motif.. 

The true innovation lies in the dial: The 0.6mm-thick sapphire crystal with grey metallisation, offers a veiled view of the perpetual calendar’s mechanical heart, including the date and moon-phase discs beneath. Faceted white gold baton hour markers and dauphine hands — both luminescent — stand sharply against the semi-transparent backdrop.

The retrograde date arc spans 270 degrees, its hand gliding smoothly before instantaneously resetting to “1” at month’s end without rebound, thanks to a disengagement mechanism. Day, month, and leap-year indications appear in electroplated gray frames at 9, 3, and 12 o’clock respectively, while the moon-phase aperture at 6 o’clock boasts astronomical precision, deviating just one day every 122 years.

The 26-330 S QR movement, visible through the hobnail-engraved caseback, drives these complications with micro-rotor efficiency. A black composite strap with fabric-like texture and cream stitching completes the ensemble, secured by a patented white gold triple-blade clasp. 

Split-Seconds Chronograph Ref. 5370R-001

This 41mm creation makes its debut in rose gold, showcasing Patek Philippe’s mastery of enamel artistry and chronograph engineering. The 5370R-001 features a two-tone brown and beige grand feu enamel dial, showcasing central section in deep brown contrasting with subdials and a tachymeter scale in beige champleve enamel — a demanding technique requiring multiple firings at over 800°C on an 18k gold base. 

Legibility is paramount: Rose gold Breguet numerals and leaf-shaped hands with beige luminescent coating mark the hours, while slender rose gold chronograph hands — including a split-seconds pair and an instantaneous 30min counter — glide over printed brown scales.

Powering the watch is the manually wound CHR 29-535 PS movement, whose column wheel and horizontal clutch recall classic chronograph architecture, while seven patented enhancements — including an optimised split-seconds mechanism — ensure precision. The split-seconds function is activated via a pusher integrated into the crown, with start/stop and reset controls at 2 and 4 o’clock.

The rose gold case exhibits refined detailing: a concave bezel frames the enamel dial, and satin-brushed flanks contrast with polished surfaces. A dark chestnut alligator strap, fitted with a patented triple-blade clasp, completes this statement piece.

Annual Calendar Ref. 4946R-001

Patek Philippe reinterprets its patented annual calendar complication in a new 38mm rose gold iteration, the Reference 4946R-001, marking the first non-gemset version of this reference. The case’s warm hue complements a chestnut-brown dial featuring a distinctive double satin-brushed “shantung silk” finish with vertical and horizontal striations. Rose gold cabochon hour markers and Arabic numerals, filled with luminescent coating, are paired with matching leaf-shaped hands.

The annual calendar’s practical displays — sub-dials for the day and month, and a rose gold-rimmed date aperture — are thoughtfully arranged. Adjustable via flush correctors in the caseband, they require just one manual correction annually at February’s end. A precision moonphase display also tracks the lunar cycle, deviating by merely one day every 122 years.

Powering these functions is the self-winding caliber 26-330 S QA LU, its 319 components visible through the sapphire caseback. Its micro-rotor ensures efficient winding without obscuring the finely finished bridges. Completing the ensemble, a chestnut calfskin strap — embossed with a denim motif and accented by cream stitching — secures with a rose gold prong buckle. 

Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref. 5524G-010

Patek Philippe’s latest interpretation of its aviation-inspired Calatrava Pilot Travel Time marries vintage aesthetics with cutting-edge watchmaking. Its elegant ivory lacquered dial evokes classic cockpit instruments, as do the blackened white gold applied numerals filled with Super-LumiNova. Charcoal gray sword-style hands are made solid for local time, and openworked for home time. 

At its heart beats the self-winding caliber 26-330 S C FUS, enhanced by an ingenious Travel Time complication, which allows for effortless adjustment of the local time via two screw-down pushers on the left case flank — a patented system that prevents accidental operation while maintaining water resistance. 

The solid hour hand jumps precisely in one-hour increments when the lower pusher advances local time, while the upper pusher moves it backward. The skeletonised hand continues to show the home time with uninterrupted accuracy. Twin apertures at 3 and 9 o’clock provide clear day/night indications for both time zones, while the date hand at 6 o’clock automatically synchronises with local time adjustments in either direction.

Complemented by a fluted bezel and prominent pushers, the 42mm white gold case is paired with an innovative khaki green composite strap. Embossed with a fabric-like pattern and accented with contrasting black stitching, it is secured by a white gold clevis prong buckle inspired by aviation safety harnesses.

Twenty~4 Refs. 7340/1R-001 and 7340/1R-010

The Twenty~4 collection achieves a horological milestone with its first complication — a perpetual calendar presented in two refined rose gold executions. Refs. 7340/1R-001 and 7340/1R-010 mark significant departures for the line as the inaugural non-gemset round models, bringing one of Patek Philippe’s most revered grand complications to feminine wrists without compromising the collection’s signature elegance.

At 36mm in diameter and just 9.95mm thick, the hand-polished rose gold case maintains perfect proportions, its slender profile achieved through the ultra-thin 240 Q self-winding movement. Its visible rotor, decorated with the Calatrava cross, serves as a reminder that within these cases beats one of watchmaking’s most revered mechanisms

This 3.88mm-thin micro-rotor caliber, comprising 275 components and visible through the sapphire caseback, orchestrates the perpetual calendar’s mechanical ballet — automatically accounting for varying month lengths and leap years until 2100. The complication displays through Patek Philippe’s classic tri-compax layout: day and 24-hour indication at 9 o’clock, central moon-phase aperture within the date subdial at 6 o’clock, and month with leap-year cycle at 3 o’clock.

This creation presents a silvered dial with double satin-brushed finish and a shantung silk texture. Its counterpart, the 7340/1R-010, offers contemporary contrast with an olive-green sunburst dial. Both versions feature applied rose gold Arabic numerals and rounded, luminescent baton hands. The moon-phase display maintains remarkable precision, deviating just one day every 122 years.

A fully integrated rose gold bracelet completes the design, its construction revealing Patek Philippe’s mastery of metalwork. Delicately cambered central links flow between slim two-tier outer links, creating a supple yet substantial presence on the wrist. 

The bracelet fastens with a patented fold-over clasp featuring four independent catches - an innovation providing both security and comfort. The crown, adorned with the Calatrava cross, offers the only gem-like accent on these intentionally understated timepieces.