REF. 5160J, CIRCA 2012

A remarkable combination of rare handicraft techniques and the finest modern horology, the reference 5160 brings the aesthetic of the early 20th century into the present day with its officier-style case, screw strap bars and hinged cuvette. Comprising the same complications of perpetual calendar, retrograde date and sweep centre seconds as Reference 5159, Reference 5160 has long been characterized as a highly complicated wristwatch exuding exclusivity, rarity and artistry. The difference is in the case of Ref. 5160 which boasts ornately engraved cases with arabesque motifs. No surface has been left untouched and even the crown and the lugs have been delicately engraved by hand. Patek Philippe is a principal force in preserving the rare handcraft skills of bygone days from slipping into oblivion by nurturing an exclusive group of craftsmen in the pursuit of perfection in their art. Patek Philippe realized that its unique heritage of artistic watchmaking could only be appreciated by raising awareness of its artisanship amongst new generations. Reference 5160 is one such effort to spark a renaissance in the art of hand engraving. Engraving, explains Patek Philippe’s Rare Handcraft website, is akin to decorating a metal canvas. Unlike paint, which can be corrected, the tiniest mistake on this surface is unmerciful, which explains the many years of training before the artisan can command the burin – the tool used in engraving.

Reference 5160
One of the rarest Patek Philippe modern production complicated wristwatches, the 5160 is a perpetual calendar with retrograde or ‘flyback’ date and moon phases. The dial design with Breguet numerals allows the display of several complications in an extremely elegant and easily readable way. In the upper half of the dial is the retrograde date scale numbered 1-31, when the hand reaches the last date of the month the hand instantly ‘flies’ back to the beginning. Apertures for the days of the week at 9 o’clock and months at 3 o’clock are centred by the leap-year indication below 12 o’clock. Placed in the lower half of the dial is the aperture for the moon phases.

The story of the reference 5160 is interesting because its design was inspired by a special order piece of its ‘sister’ reference 5159 that was launched in 2007 with the new Officier-style case. For reference 5159, the ancient and revered art of engraving was used to decorate the dial. A special order watch was subsequently granted to an important client for a reference 5159 with an artisanal engraved case, that watch was sold by Christie's Shanghai on 26 September 2013, lot 16. Patek Philippe was reportedly so delighted by the beauty and impact of this special order piece, that they decided to release an entirely new reference based upon it - reference 5160. Introduced in 2010 in white, yellow or pink gold, it is thought that no more of two or three dozen pieces will ever be made for each.

The 38 mm. diameter Officier-style case is a tribute to the master artisans of Patek Philippe’s rare handcrafts division. The centre of the dial, the yellow gold case, the hinged cover, and the clasp are lavishly decorated with entirely hand-executed engravings inspired by a pocket watch in the Patek Philippe Museum collection made for the American industrialist James Ward Packard.