Patek Philippe introduced reference 5140 in 2006 in white gold, followed in 2007 with yellow gold examples and in 2010 in platinum and pink gold. A direct descendant of the landmark reference 3940 which had been in production for twenty years, the reference 5140 differentiates itself from its predecessor through a slightly larger 37.2 mm case and different dial design. Staying true to its ancestry, the timepiece has three subsidiary dials and an elegant round case.

The reference 5140 is fitted with one of Patek Philippe's iconic movement calibers, the caliber 240 which is stamped with the PP hallmark of excellence, the Patek Philippe Seal.

Introduced in 1977, the caliber 240 is self-winding yet only 2.53mm thick, a considerable technical achievement. Because the movement is so thin, the rotor has to be much smaller than usual and set within the movement plates, known as a "micro-rotor" it is made from 21-22 carat gold in order to provide sufficient energy to power the winding of the main spring. The caliber 240 proved particularly good as an ultra-thin base movement for perpetual calendar mechanisms.

Forty years after its debut, the caliber 240 is still in use today in several of the brand’s most familiar and important timepieces.