PuristSPro.com EXCLUSIVE: Patek Philippe announces Sternian Civil Calendar System SCCS!

Apr 01, 2016,02:46 AM
 

During BaselWorld, Patek Philippe Präsident Thierry Stern invited a handful of carefully selected watch experts into a closed boardroom to present its most revolutionary endeavour: the new Sternian Civil Calendar System (short: SCCS), aimed to serve as a successor the currently used Gregorian Calendar.

A a watchmaker of global acclaim, Patek Philippe made sure to a timepiece ready that already implemented this new system, the Ref.
7140R-SCCS. At first view a surprise since this is a ladies' timepiece, but Mr Stern offered compelling reasons for this!



It came to us as a complete surprise when after the usual press conference at BaselWorld 2016 some of us, amongst them another noted PPro moderator (see image ;-)), clandestinely received a business card-sized invitation with their press kits asking us to stay after the other journalists and bloggers left.

With the handful of us secluded in a private meeting room, Thierry Stern began what might be the most important presentation in the history of the company!



Hidden beneath a silk cloth was a timepiece which at passing view would be recognised as one of the usual beautiful ladies' complicated watches, a perpetual calendar:





We were all puzzled but just minutes before we were shown it already, the Ref. 7140R - at least that's what we thought!



But it is the date indication which some of us identified as unusual:



And indeed it is! The decisive indication is the date section from 21 to 25: It goes 21-*-22-*-25. This is where Patek Philippe's Sternian Calendar plays its magic: Every leap year henceforth should circle around the Equinox. In astrology, the day of the equinox is the first full day of the sign of Aries. It is also the traditional first day of the astrological year. In the 21st century, the equinox usually occurs on March 19 or 20, being on March 21 only in 2003 and 2007.

Depending on leap year or not, 21 March will displayed twice. 29 February no longer indicate leap year! On all other years and for all other month, the date indicator is programmed to flick around 21 to 25, depending on a secret algorithm that is aligned with a new SCCS iPhone App downloadable for only CHF 2016 (there is long waiting list already, as usual for Patek Philippe product. Here for the first time with a software product).

Why this modification? Mr Stern explains that mainly because 29 February is a permanent discrimation against people who were born then. Furthemore, at the end of an already short month it might be easily overlooked, and the perpetual calendars need be unveildly complex and error prone since at 29 February both an additional date plus a change in month need be controlled. The Equinox, 21 March, takes away the latter, boding for streamlined constructions.

As a final note, Mr Stern mentioned that since Equinox is an astronomical event, its mich easier for marketing departments, increasingly flooded with youngster social media experts, to bring the message accross tailored to the 5min attention period of the Snapchat, Instragam and Twitter-accustomed hipster generation, unable to comprehend more than 140 letters of text.
 
A final mystery remains to be taken out of secrecy: why is this pathmaking new calendar system presented as a ladies' watch? The reasing Mr Stern offers is a reminder on the comprehensiveness the Genevan manufacrture is know for:

"We intentionally chose a female timepieces because we believe in the long term success of the Sternian system to overcome the shortcomings of the Gergorian calendar and eventually replace it. To implement this we needes a sustainable strategy. Thus we loaded lots of the burden of educating and convincing on the shoulders of the women. Women educate the offspring and thus breast-feed the new calendar system into the brains of the next generations. It does not cost us anything, all is needed is the husband's wallet. The rest is thus almost automatised. And we even increase our revenues!"

Naturally, the ladies attending the exclusive presentation were immensely attracted by the prospect of being leaders and role models:



Questioned about the likelhood of success, Thierry Stern reaffirms the company's stand: the SCCS will be open to all manufacturers. This is one of the reasons why the name Patek Philippe Calendar System was rejected. But not only that: Mr Stern notes that one key factor of success lies in the notion that 'you never really own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation'...! Thus, together with the significant role of women the heirloom destiny of Patek Philippe timepieces will play its role.

Never made a marketing claim more sense that now! Does this gentleman give any hint of doubt?


Thanks for reading and enjoy this day!
Magnus
 
This message has been edited by Ornatus-Mundi on 2016-04-01 02:45:58

This message has been edited by MTF on 2016-04-01 03:48:48

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Comments: view entire thread

 

lol!

 
 By: Mark in Paris : April 1st, 2016-02:49
Good April shot but it's old! It is a mistake from last year's prototype. That was indeed an unusual blooper. Very nicely done Magnus Have a very nice week-end too. Cheers, Mark

Dear Magnus, You make the best reports...

 
 By: Ares501 - Mr Green : April 1st, 2016-03:08
.........the best April 1st posts around Genial!

can't wait to see it....

 
 By: Ancienne Le Brassus : April 1st, 2016-05:56
Ha! Great story, wonderful! Thanks for writing this up, it was great!! Love the 'breast feeding it into their brains'... haha! S

Haha,,,good laugh here.

 
 By: vitalsigns : April 1st, 2016-06:08
Maybe Patek should implement a "PP" seal protocol on the dial (not just the movement), and then this error would never happen. Cheers, John

You got me!!!!

 
 By: watchme : April 1st, 2016-06:56
I was thoroughly caught up until the comments section, below, reminded me that it's April Fool's Day. -Dean

History in the making!

 
 By: patrick_y : April 1st, 2016-11:45
Thank you for introducing us to this new calendar system.

Guys, I am so glad you liked it...

 
 By: Ornatus-Mundi : April 1st, 2016-12:02
it was immensely fun to compose, although I was stressed to catch my plane to Switzerland. And were it not for Patek to accidentially let slip a misprinted dial, this post would have never happen. So thanks for your kind words, and thanks for Patek for ha... 

Such is the nature of the watch insanity that this had the ring of plausibility..

 
 By: rdenney : April 1st, 2016-12:37
which contributes to its suitability as an April Fool\'s joke, but also to the sheer relief that it is indeed an April Fool\'s joke. --Rick

Brilliant Magnus. Read the post during a meeting and had to read it a couple of times to realize that it was a joke.

 
 By: Mitch K : April 1st, 2016-14:41
If we are truly honest I wonder how many people read or will read your post and start to get the feeling of hunger and planning a phone call to their AD. That said this watch would be collector\'s Grail. To get a one of with a misprinted dial. There are o... 

Good report Magnus.

 
 By: geross : April 1st, 2016-18:00
Very informative. Makes women the decision makers. Bravo to Patek. Good marketing ploy. Of course its backed up with technology. Thanks. Cheers Geross.