Incandenza
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My new 5970G: some reflections on the decline in Patek's movement finishing
I have had the great fortune to acquire a 5970G, fresh from a service in Geneva. It is a beautiful watch on every level.
The dial and the case are obvious standout features, but another aspect of the watch has captivated me: the movement.
The movement is based on the Lemania calibre that we know and love, and which appears in a number of much cheaper watches. And yet it is finished in an absolutely stunning way. See the photo below for an example.
In part, the quality of the finishing is attributable to the architecture of the movement. There are several places where the bridges contain interior angles, and these are much more difficult to finish (and much more impressive when done properly) than other types of angles. The finishing quality is truly top-notch. In some ways, it is significantly better than Lange. I have owned a Datograph and, whilst the colour palette of the movement and the overall architecture are absolutely stunning, I never found the anglage to be particularly great. The 5970 does not have anything like the depth of the Datograph movement, but I genuinely believe that the overall finishing is more artisanal and subtle.
I was surprised by the quality of the movement because, in my experience, Patek does not excel at movement finishing. The recent in-house chronograph calibre is shiny and attractive, but it appears to have been designed in a way which deliberately eliminates all interior angles (and thus greatly reduces the need for any serious hand finishing). The main Patek base calibres - i.e. 240, 320, and CH29 - are not particularly well finished. It is a real shame that Patek did not continue the noble tradition of hand finishing that is exhibited in the 5970.
These days, to get any serious hand finishing on a Patek, you need to spend serious money. You need to buy a 5370 (where the rattrapante movement is extremely striking) or a 5959 or a 3939, which cost far more than a 5970G (at least at the current, rather soft, secondary market prices).
Why did Patek decide to end the tradition of hand finishing for all but the most expensive pieces?
