Patek Philippe

Some here have the pleasure to wear a Patek Philippe perpetual calendar watch every day. Some of those even wear my favourite 5159G, or even better, a 5970P! Many have also worn a 3940 – or a more recent 5140 – for years!

For long the 3940 was the "simplest" complicated Patek Philippe watch when you would not satisfy yourself with a simple date watch.

When the annual calendar was issued it was a very useful complication offered to those who wanted to step up from the classic entry level Calatrava range. To some extent it was also intended to seduce a younger audience.

A perpetual calendar is a fascinating mechanism. I've always found incredible to think that such a tiny mechanical calibre had a single wheel that was making one single turn every four years!

Still a perpetual calendar was and still often is seen as a delicate mechanism to use and settle. The new annual calendar invented by Patek Philippe was intended to be much more usable, and as efficient. By the way as long as mechanical watches will have to be serviced more or less every 5 years the perpetuity will be theoretical!

Perpetually looking for my ideal Patek Philippe watch I hardly considered the 5146 as an option. The 5396 was always my favourite aesthetical choice. Still it was always too classic on my wrist. While travelling by train to Paris to discover the new Patek Philippe chronograph last month I had the surprise to spot a 5146G with slate dial on the wrist sat in front of me. For nearly three hours I couldn't stop from glancing!

The young man's Patek Philippe

The next morning I had the same watch on my wrist (well only in the Patek Philippe boutique, it's still a dream to accomplish).

You can see the watch pictured here.

The watch is just so understated, so modern looking, and at the same time so classy.

Full but not busy

The dial is full of indications with the hours and minutes, the centre seconds hand, the day, date and month, the moon phase and the power reserve indicator. The dial is full but neatly organized and shows a very nice balance.

In fact I think that for many the appeal of a chronograph is to have a filled dial, contrasting xith "simple" watches. The annual calendar is more than a chronograph.

Again perfect on my wrist

I still find the 5396 very beautiful. The classical ref 96 case style and the "aperture" calendar are quite nice. The more rounded 5146 is not just modern, it is also linked to some nice PPs of the past, like maybe the 2526!

The other beautiful but more classical option

The new dial versions of the 5396 that will be launched next month will certainly attract even more people to the annual calendar, but for me the ideal annual calendar may well remain the 5146G.

Next year's babe

A new men's manual wind Patek Philippe chronograph may soon become my dream watch, and the A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange is still my favourite simple watch, but what can be a more practical everyday watch at the office than an annual calendar?

Slate is good for me

I wonder if we will see an annual calendar Nautilus someday? Like a waterproof stainless steel Richard Lange would be the only better simple option, an all weather annual may not just tempt me!

That must be something

If you wear an annual calendar every day please share your experience with us.

Thank you for reading.

Cheers

Dje