Given GaryG’s musings on these pages about the relative roles of rarity and complication in driving the value of a watch, he thinks it appropriate to dedicate this “Behind the Lens” entry to a piece that is both complicated and limited in production: Patek Philippe’s Reference 5950A. What’s so special about this watch? Well, first of all it’s a split-seconds chronograph. What else?
Sylvester Stallone was in London in early July 2018 for his Experience with Sylvester Stallone event held at the London Palladium. The special watch he wore to the event was a Patek Philippe Nautilus chronograph Reference 5980/1R-001 in pink gold.
Frank Lampard, who enjoyed an illustrious career at Chelsea FC in the English Premier League, loves his watches and has been regularly spotted wearing timepieces by Rolex, Richard Mille, and Patek Philippe. He is now the manager of Derby County. What watch has he been wearing there since the 2018 season got underway?
From the time GaryG revealed that he’d added a Patek Philippe Reference 5170P chronograph to his collection, he has frequently been asked two questions: how does it compare to his Patek Philippe Reference 5370P split-seconds chronograph? And how does it compare to Patek Philippe’s prior flagship chronograph, the platinum-encased Reference 5070P?
Tom Holland, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, attended the Wimbledon men’s singles final between Novak Djokovic and Kevin Anderson on July 15 wearing a Patek Philippe Aquanaut with his posh Ralph Lauren suit.
When perpetual calendars are too complicated but a simple calendar just doesn’t cut it anymore because nearly half the months have less than 31 days, it’s five adjusts a year too many for some: don’t fret, there is a middle ground between the most basic calendar watches and complex perpetual calendars. The annual calendar automatically adjusts for each month with 30 or 31 days, meaning just one adjust in February. Here’s a brief history of the complication.
If there were a watch enthusiasts’ encyclopedia, under “embarrassment of riches” the image might just be a side-by-side shot two of contemporary watchmaking’s great complicated pieces: the “mighty” A. Lange & Söhne Double Split and Patek Philippe’s Reference 5370P split-second chronograph.
A watch that (unsurprisingly) caught Sabine Zwettler’s eye recently was Patek Philippe’s new stainless steel Aquanaut Chronograph featuring a bright orange second hand. Here she explains just what it is that makes this model so special.
With its idiosyncratic rounded octagonal bezel and bold horizontal stripes accentuating its dial, Patek Philippe’s Nautilus has represented the epitome of sporty casual in horological design for 42 years. Sabine explains why the Nautilus Perpetual Calendar Ref 57401G was one of the most talked-about watches at Baselworld 2018.
Following the recent article on silicon balance springs by watchmaker Ashton Tracy called ‘Is Silicon Here To Stay In (Rolex) Watch Movements?’ Timothy Treffry decided to take a closer, more technical look at the intriguing silicon material from which the components are made.