Patek Philippe

AndCavanaugh
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Early R27 Tourbillon and subsequent glow up

https://www.christies.com.cn/zh-cn/lot/lot-5057787
https://www.europeanwatch.com/watch/Patek-Philippe-5016P-018-5016P-Minute-Repeater-Tourbillon-Retrogr-41933.html

In 1989 Patek Philippe launched their first “in-house” repeater movement: caliber R27. The R27 comes in two flavors, self-winding and tourbillon. This was the first time Patek used a silent strike governor in a standalone repeater. This system was developed in the late 1800s but was mostly found on cheap repeater watches. 

In the tourbillon version, the third wheel is made of gold, and shaped like the wheel of a rounding-up machine. Making wheels out of gold isn’t all that unusual, however, the gold alloy is normally pink (high copper) or white (high nickel/zinc), for better properties. Patek used a yellow gold allow here, which is a little weird.

Anyway, the first R27 with tourbillon was 1’903’000, which is still owned by Patek Philippe. The next was obviously 1’903’001, then 002, etc…

000 to 002 do not have the gold octopus wheel, instead its just a plain brass wheel. There are other differences too, the tourbillon bridge was brass instead of polished steel, the titanium tourbillon cage isn’t polished, and the jewel for the center wheel is missing the gold setting. 

I don’t have any pictures of 003, but 004 does have the steel bridge and gold third wheel. A lot of R27 tourbillon movements have been made, but I think there are only 3-4 of these rough early ones, and one is in the Patek Philippe Museum.

The R27 TO is currently used in ref 5303, 5207, 5316, and 6002 Sky Moon Tourbillon. Engagement question: why doesn’t the Sky Moon Tourbillon have seconds hand coaxial with the moon phase like the 5316?