Patek Philippe

A few weeks ago I offered you to ask questions to Patek Philippe. Obviously you can always ask. You can easily ask by email any company. As we say in my country (and probably in yours too) you can always ask, only answers are indiscreet.

Don't wait for incredible revelations there! You know Patek Philippe and the kind of discreet company it is.

I finally had the pleasure to visit the Patek Philippe manufacture this month. I just took the opportunity to deliver your questions and try to receive answers for you, knowing obviously by advance that some of your questions could only get indiscreet answers!

On top of this subject on your questions, I'll try to share with you in the next weeks and months aspects of what is behind the Patek Philippe Seal.

Patek Philippe Manufacture entrance

For now let's have a look at your questions. You asked about the number of pieces of the very much looked after enamel dial worldtime 5131. I of course got no answer! I can just say that the number of 5131 produced is in no way linked to the number of 5130. The 5131 is rare obviously only because of the long, delicate and complicated work done on the dial.

Regarding the life expectancy of this reference nothing is defined yet. Patek Philippe renews its collections quite regularly but some references can also stay for nearly decades unchanged in the catalog.

I can add that the 5131J is not discontinued. Some of you may have noticed that it is indeed pictured in the latest 2009-2010 Patek Philippe catalog.

Regarding this same reference 5131, you also asked about the removal of Caracas from the dials. Indeed the Venezuelan government changed the country time zone nearly two years ago. So far Patek Philippe has traditionally used some traditional locations as reference for time zones and they apparently don't feel the need to remove Caracas. Does anybody have an idea if this time zone change by Venezuela is definitive either?

Someone also asked if the simpler dual time zone 5134 would be replaced. The only answer is that we can imagine that such a watch would come back today (in a new form of course). This is a complication that apparently Patek Philippe doesn't intend to give up.

Polishing a Celestial 5102 case

Another question was about necessity of polishing during services. Easy answer for this one as you had already guessed. Indeed it is possible to specify that the case may not be polished during service. Regarding the means used to polish they are traditional in fact (see pic above). Patek Philippe doesn't use laser welding techniques during servicing (or initial production).

Polishing is still one of the mainly hand operated or controlled operations at Patek Philippe. The case polishing of a 5970P takes up to 6 hours of work.

A few Patek Philippe 5970P cases

I'm a great fan of hacking watches. I'm apparently not alone as it was the subject of several questions. Indeed Patek Philippe is so far not the best brand on that side since it seems that the 5959 split second chronograph is the only current Patek Philippe watch with a stop second. In fact I was told that when the 5959 calibre was developed Mr Philippe Stern said that it was a useful function. Consequently we can hope to see the coming Patek Philippe calibres hacking (but it's just a guess or hope) !

Regarding the existing calibres a hacking function will not be added as it is too complicated and it would be preferable to develop new specific calibres.

To some extent we could also consider that the 5960 chronograph calibre is also hacking as the central seconds hand of the chronograph can also be used as a permanently running second. You can reset it easily with the flyback function when the minute hand is aligned with a minute marker, or looking at a time reference.

As a consequence of the question about hacking function, some also asked about the relevance of claiming about accuracy without a stop second. Obviously if you aim to have your watch set at the second on a reference it is hard without a hacking function. Then if you just want to have minimal deviation and wear a watch that keeps good time, in such a watch the absence of a hacking function is not essential as the main point is to avoid to have to reset it too often.

We will discuss about the Patek Philippe Seal in the months to come and it will be the opportunity to look more at this accuracy subject. We didn't hear about it so far, until the launch of the seal, but Patek Philippe obviously controls the accuracy of all watches produced, to a standard stricter than the COSC.

The rate is one of many controls operated

You asked if Patek Philippe is considering making watches with a larger case. In fact the internal rule is that the size should be dictated by the housed calibre. Considering that another rule states that the calibre should be as thin and small as possible, you can conclude that Patek Philippe is not heading towards large watches.

Looking at the 5959 below and its 33.2 mm case, you see one extreme and perfect interpretation of the principles. Certainly the as-much revered 5070 is the perfect example of the contrary since the CH 27-70 calibre of the 5070 measures 27.5 by 5.57 mm and the CHR 27-525 PS of the 5959 measures 27.3 by 5.25 mm, so close dimensions inside and extremes outside!

The 5960 is more coherent to the rule with its 33 by 7.68 mm calibre CH 28-520 IRM QA 24h. But we should not forget that the 5070 was launched at a time when large watches where just getting trendy and perhaps Patek Philippe wanted to test this market?

So the current answer from Patek Philippe is that  they see the market now at 39 to 40 mm and not 42 like for the 5070.

It brings me to another question about the potential launch of a new manual wind simple chronograph calibre. Yes you know which one!

The amazing 5959

The answer I've got is a confirmation that such calibre is in the pipe!  "There are projects"!

Don't ask me more as I got no other precision and just have my opinion!

I can just add perhaps, to answer another question about the possible use of the automatic chrono calibre to make a classical two counters chrono, that it is not possible to transform it into such chronograph with counters at 3 and 9. The way it is conceived with the annual calendar at 12 doesn't allow to transform it. Consequently we can suppose that a manual wind chronograph could well be a totally new design.

A question was also about a possible minute repeater chronograph. In fact Patek Philippe already produced one unique piece reference 3615 in the early 80s. Still  it is admitted that the current range misses some products and the will is to have the most complete collection……

On the contrary there is no "two minute" repeater in the projects, as it was also asked.

There's apparently no plan either to develop a bigger time only manual movement as the current 215 seems large enough to house what Patek Philippe wants to see inside.

Who knows? Perhaps Mr Stern will want to add a hacking function and that will lead to a larger calibre?

The Patek Philippe Geneva Salon last floor's view

Again we will discuss later about the Patek Philippe Seal but I can already answer that the Standards are not intended to be publicly revealed, for several reasons like the fact that they can evolve or simply that they obviously include and sum up Patek Philippe's own production standards and Patek Philippe  doesn't want to give such information.

The Patek Philippe Seal is so much larger in its content and objectives than the Geneva Seal that it is anyway not possible to summarize it on a sheet of paper like the Geneva Seal.

Patek Philippe does not intend to compare its Seal with others like the Qualite Fleurier Seal (another question). The Patek Philippe Seal describes what Patek Philippe wishes to do and consequently does, so it concerns specifically Patek Philippe. Others can make other choices and it is respected by Patek Philippe.

Enamelled pocket watch at the Patek Philippe Geneva Salon

Someone asked about a new supercomplication that would surpass the calibre 89? In fact Patek Philippe is still finishing to produce  the Star Calibre series. The men who were in charge of the Calibre 89 and the Star Calibre projects are still working for Patek Philippe, so you can imagine the creative potential…..

These two extreme projects have apparently learnt a lot to Patek Philippe for the making of some wrist watches, the Sky Moon and the Celestial being two examples. Let's say that 2014 will mark another important anniversary for the company…..

We can also remember that in the last years instead of such extreme projects we have seen other innovations like the instantaneous perpetual calendar in the 5207, and more importantly the use of new materials like Silinvar in the references 5250, 5350 and 5450.

Patek Philippe states that they do not wish to show off, but want to improve their watches. They have seen the Patek Philippe Advanced Series to some extent as a revolutionary move, and not just an evolution. Respecting what they see as the best principles of Horology, they want to apply measurable improvements and only when they bring a more reliable watch. The "New Technology" team who worked on the Advanced Series is certainly working on something else…..

And not just on the possible use of A/R coatings that were apparently tested on some Nautilus watches but who don't seem necessary technically (for readability reasons) neither wished aesthetically. The astronomical watches may be an exception.

Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon

I will finish with two questions related to these exceptional pieces.

You asked if Patek Philippe is still buying watches for the Patek Philippe Museum. The answer is yes, even if many collections now seem complete. In fact Mr Philippe Stern still decides if he wants to add a missing piece to his collection and he apparently misses some. I think they recently bought a pilot's watch that was auctioned this spring for instance.

Then all of you who have patiently built a strong Patek Philippe collection  and now wish to consider ordering a Grand Complication piece, can be pleased to know that indeed Patek Philippe aims at keeping tabs of who the loyal customers are. Of course that doesn't mean that they can produce enough to offer full availability to all of such patient collectors. But let's say that those who don't order don't get served!

I hope you enjoyed these answers and have read them carefully as I tried to make a difference between the answers I got and my opinions.

Please let me thank Mrs Steele and Mr Jaquet at Patek Philippe for their hospitality.

Now let's discuss.

Cheers

Dje