<p>All Patek Philippe 175th Anniversary Collection, Including the Grandmaster Chime
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<p>After celebrating its 150th anniversary, the world waited 25 years to see how Patek Philippe <strong>
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<p>In October 2014, Patek Philippe launched a collection that the world had been waiting 25 years for. Patek Philippe pioneered the concept of commemorative watches with its 150th Anniversary Collection in 1989, and today, Patek Philippe still commands more attention than any other brand in the world of haute horlogerie. We’ve already shown you the basics of the Patek Philippe 175 collection, but today we’re going to go hands-on with all the pieces and further analyze the collection’s long-term significance.</p>
<p>Past Commemorative Watches<br>
In 1989, Patek Philippe released several limited edition watches with inscriptions on the case back. The most famous was the 3960, shown above and below. This small chronograph features an officer-style case back and elongated lugs, reminiscent of early 20th-century pieces in the Patek Philippe Museum collection.</p>
<p>Patek Philippe also showed its first minute repeater watches. These included the 3979 and 3974. These two watches will remain in the Patek Philippe collection for quite some time, and while they are not marked as commemorative pieces like the above two <strong>
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<p>Patek Philippe 175th Anniversary<br>
No one knew what would happen that night on October 14, 2014. I am a Patek Philippe enthusiast myself and a professional watch writer. In talking to authorized dealers, major collectors, and auction house experts, I heard all kinds of speculation about what Patek Philippe would launch. I heard that they would make a steel Calatrava watch using a vintage observatory movement similar to the one in the JB Champion. I heard that they would make a double balance wheel watch similar to the Resonance of the FPJourne. I heard they were going to make an exact replica of the Graves Supercomplication. I heard they were going to re-release some of the Lemania-based chronographs. Of course, none of these are true (well, that last one is).</p>
<p>World Time with Moon Phase Reference 5575G<br>
The 5575G model is the most approachable of the 175th Anniversary Limited Editions, and one of the most popular with consumers. The Patek Philippe World Time watch holds a special place in the hearts of collectors, and whether real or fake, it is a way of announcing that the wearer has led an interesting and cosmopolitan life. The 5575G is powered by the 240 HU LU movement, the first to combine its signature world time system with a centralized and extremely realistic moon phase.</p>
<p>The movement is very beautiful, and since it is based on the 240, it features a lovely and always admired micro-rotor, allowing the wearer to enjoy the undeniable ease of a self-winding movement while also being able to easily observe the fine finishing that Patek Philippe is famous for.</p>
<p>The case of the 5575 features rotating lugs and no crown guards. The case is perfectly sized at 39.8mm and sits beautifully on the wrist.</p>
<p>Multi-Scale Chronograph Reference 5975 (J/R/G/P)</p>
<p>Perhaps the most curious of the Patek Philippe 175 collection. The 5975 is infallibly classic – after all, Patek Philippe produced so few chronographs! It’s no wonder that the 5975 was the talk of the town when it was released – and here’s why.</p>
<p>The 5975 has three different scales on its dial: telemetry, pulsation and tachymeter. In short, this watch is able to measure the distance of an object based on time and speed, speed based on distance and time, distance based on time and sound, and of course, a person’s pulse. The dial is 100% rooted in functionality, and triple-scale dials like this are nothing new, albeit fairly rare. You often find single-scale dials (like this) and occasionally dual-scale dials (like this), but it’s not common to see a dial that combines three different scales. In most cases, they were made in the early to mid-1940s and were often purchased by military officers and doctors. This triple-scale chronograph from Vacheron Constantin is one such example, and its steel dial is considered one of the most sought-after vintage VCs in the world. The dial on the 5975 is very similar, but I will say that Patek Philippe doesn’t claim to have invented or even pioneered these technical dials.</p>
<p>The most interesting thing about this chronograph is that it’s barely a chronograph. You’ll notice that there are no counters on the dial, which means it’s essentially a 60-second counter. Patek Philippe’s reasoning for this is that they intended the 5975 to be a purely functional, extremely easy-to-read tool, and overlapping counters would compromise readability. It’s strange enough that it will become a highly collectible watch in the future. <strong>
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<p>More importantly, the 5975 chronograph features an automatic movement, a watch that is clearly inspired by the styles of the early 20th century. This may not seem like much, but there is a very exclusive group of collectors in the world who are completely uninterested in automatic chronographs, and Patek Philippe certainly knows this. The 175th Anniversary Chronograph, however, is automatic, using a simplified version of the 28-520 calibre found in the 5980 / 5990 / 5960. However, Patek Philippe claims that the movement has been adjusted to be more accurate than a regular movement. Weird, isn't it? I had the opportunity to ask Mr. Thierry Stern why the decision was made to put an automatic movement in a watch that is clearly a manual-winding movement, and his answer was simple: they sought to create a watch that could be worn every day, and more and more customers prefer to wear automatic watches every day.</p>
<p>His answer was equally pertinent when I asked about the limited edition nature of the 5975 and all Patek Philippe 175 watches. There are 1,400 different variations of the 5975 (400 each in yellow gold, rose gold, and white gold, plus an additional 100 in platinum). Considering that only 349 of the 2499 were produced over a 35-year period, for example, the Patek Philippe 175 series doesn’t seem that special. But Stern’s answer is simple: the global market for Patek Philippe’s high-end watches has grown many times since then, and they want to produce enough variations so that many brand enthusiasts can own a piece of history from this special year. He’s also quick to point out that for connoisseurs, they do offer some very rare variations, as well as an ultra-rare Grandmaster Chime.</p>
<p>Back to the 5975 itself. I think a really overlooked aspect of this new chronograph is that Patek Philippe didn’t simply use an existing case for this or any Patek Philippe 175 model. Look at the case here, with its Art Deco-style, multi-stepped lugs. They’re simply amazing.</p>
<p>On the wrist, the 5975 is fantastic. The 40mm size (1mm larger than the 5170) is welcome by most, and the dagger hands and somewhat austere dial make for a very interesting look. The absence of a chronograph does make a big difference, although I have to admit, I think many of us would have liked them. The way this watch is worn is very modern, and while some of the decisions on this watch are slightly controversial, I feel it will be a very collectible piece in the future. As I said before, the 5975 with its multi-scale dial, stunning Art Deco lugs, and no chronograph is just too weird not to collect. Only time will tell if I am right.</p>
<p>Jumping Hours Reference 5275P</p>
<p>Now, my friends, this is a true anniversary piece. Not only is the 5275P truly limited edition, with only 175 pieces in total, but we also get an absolutely stunning and brand new movement. The 5275 is a jumping hour watch with an hourly chime – meaning that at the beginning of every hour, you get a very crisp and simple chime.</p>
<p>I remember when this watch debuted, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. The ornate engravings on the case and dial were certainly not to my taste, but that doesn’t mean that others would be either. Still, it wasn’t until I put it on my hands, saw it in action, and heard it chime that I understood why this <strong>
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<p>First of all, the 5275P is very thin, with the movement measuring just 6.5mm thick. It sits very comfortably on the wrist and is very comfortable to wear. However, what makes this watch special is what it does and how it does it. Not only does this anniversary model have jumping hours, but it also technically has jumping minutes and jumping seconds.</p>
<p>Yes, this new 32-650 HGS PS movement is very special. You see, this movement has four patents, each with the express goal of managing energy in the most efficient way possible. Think of how much energy it takes to make not only the seconds (in a non-rhythmic way) but also the minutes, the hours, and, when necessary, move the hammer to chime, and do it all succinctly, in such a small and thin case. This movement took four years to develop, and in my opinion, it is one of the most interesting Patek Philippe movements in a long time.</p>
<p>Three of the four patents for this movement were needed to make the seconds, minutes, and hours all jump precisely at the same time - this is what makes Patek Philippe so special. Sometimes they go far beyond what is expected - nay, even necessary - to produce what they consider to be a truly pinnacle movement (see another example here).</p>
<p>All of this jumping is achieved by a seconds lever made of Silinvar (a silicon compound), which is connected to a spring that stores the energy of the eight and a half vibrations of the balance wheel, which make up one second. The seconds lever meshes with the wolf's tooth, which in turn meshes with the fourth wheel; every eight vibrations, the seconds lever is lifted, causing the jump. This causes the minutes and hours to jump in addition to the striking of the gong every hour.</p>
<p>As I mentioned above, when you see the 5275P on paper, it’s easy to think it’s silly or overpriced, but when you get it and see it in action, your mind immediately changes. The watch is amazing with three time indicators jumping around at the same time and chiming loudly. Granted, only 175 of the 5275P were made, so unless you have some very well-connected friends, it’s unlikely you’ll come across one, but trust me, if you get the chance to see one, you should take it.</p>
<p>Grandmaster Chime Reference 5175R</p>
<p>This is it. The biggest, coolest, most expensive watch Patek Philippe has ever made. Prior to its launch in mid-October, many of us thought Patek Philippe would indeed make some kind of Grand Sonnerie, but most thought it would be in pocket watch form, following in the footsteps of the Caliber 89 and the Star movement. Instead of a pocket watch, we got a huge, beautifully engraved, highly complicated watch with two dials, yes, two dials. Oh, and there are five different chiming mechanisms, 20 different complications, each with 1,580 parts. <strong>
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<p>But what exactly is this watch? Where does it sit in the realm of Patek Philippe’s grand complication watches? It’s clearly at the top, replacing the Sky-Moon Tourbillon 6002G, which has dominated for years. But I don’t see this as an evolution of the Sky-Moon at all, but a grand complication watch with a completely different focus. Instead of tantalizing our eyes with powerful and breathtakingly beautiful celestial charts, the Grandmaster Chime seeks to excite our ears with a variety of different tones. The Grandmaster Chime has a grand and small sonnerie, in addition to a minute repeater, an alarm, and a date chime. Oh, and of course a perpetual calendar with moon phases. So how does it all work? That’s the thing, and beyond the looks, the Grandmaster Chime rises to a new level of supremacy. Because while this watch is indeed Patek Philippe’s most complicated watch, it’s incredibly simple to operate for the user, and that’s exactly why I love it so much. </p>
<p>This is the side of the incredible GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM movement. The "SGP" nameplate you see is the place on the dial of the watch that indicates whether the watch is a Silent, Grande Sonnerie or Petite Sonnerie model. The RAH is where the user is informed whether he (or she) wants to wind the minute repeater, alarm or hour mechanism - all of which, amazingly, is done via the crown. The minute repeater in the Grandmaster Chime requires no slider, just a push of a button inside the crown.</p>
<p>And what about the alarm? This is not a simple buzzing mechanical chime like in a Memovox or Vulcain, but a full chime from the Minute Repeater family, with the same quality and volume (patented). The alarm time is displayed on the dial at 12 o'clock, with a small bell hole indicating whether the alarm is on or off.</p>
<p>The Grande Sonnerie and Petite Sonnerie are arguably what most collectors would like to see in a Patek Philippe 175 series, and they are not just ordinary sonneries. Patek Philippe says they won’t make a chime unless there’s technology that allows the watch to chime in full Grande Sonnerie mode for at least one day. The Grandmaster Chime requires over 30 hours to rewind. This is achieved with two barrels dedicated to chiming. The amount of energy used for this is absolutely staggering, and I can’t stress enough how difficult it is to make a chime watch, where the chime quarter-hours are struck by three different gongs in different sequences. This requires 50% more energy than even a regular Grande and Petite Sonnerie (if there is such a thing). What’s more, Patek Philippe invented (and patented!) a system that completely decouples the chime system from the movement to reduce friction and energy consumption. Why? Because it’s Patek Philippe! <strong>
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<p>Oh, and the Grandmaster Chime also strikes the time! Simply press a button and you’ll hear the time chime on 10-day intervals, with double high and low strikes, and high strikes on the rest of the days. What’s more, this minute repeater date is linked to an instantaneous perpetual calendar, to which an entire dial is devoted. The inventor of the minute repeater date is Thierry Stern, who patented it, but Breguet is quick to point out that AL Breguet (not the Swatch Group brand of the same name) did make a pocket watch with a minute repeater date mechanism in 1805 and sold it to the then Prince of Wales.</p>
<p>The Grandmaster Chime also features a year indicator, moon phases, and a second time zone. The case is completely reversible, so the wearer can wear the watch on either side of the dial and still read the time. Patek Philippe was also awarded another patent for this case design.</p>
<p>However, I think the most impressive thing about the Grandmaster Chime is how easy it is to use. From the pictures, this watch may look like it has a lot of features, but in person, it won’t take you a minute to figure out how to control all 20 complications. The crown of this watch is very functional, and the four buttons and sliders are directly connected to several dials of the watch.</p>
<p>Patek Philippe has really created a super complication that is easy to use, and what makes this watch even more impressive is its size. It has a diameter of 47 mm and a thickness of 16 mm. It is not small by any standard, but think about what this watch is and what it can do. When you think about this, and then remember that miniaturization is actually the most respected skill in watchmaking, you start to understand what Patek Philippe has achieved here. Do I like the ornate engraving on the case and dial? I don’t at all. But that doesn’t change my respect for the Grandmaster Chime and all of its features. While I will never be able to wear or own this watch, everything about it makes me very excited about Patek Philippe watches in the next 3-5 years, as we will start to see some of the complications developed here make their way to more affordable <strong>
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