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Lot Essay
When launched in 2010, reference 5950 immediately soared to the top of the wish lists of collectors. It is powered by the calibre CHR 27-575 PS, introduced in 2005 with the officer-style split second chronograph reference 5959 and is Patek Philippe’s first exclusive chronograph movement entirely devised in-house. The thinnest manually wound column-wheel split second single button chronograph ever designed by any manufacturer at the time of its introduction, the movement has been hand-finished and decorated to the highest standards, it is hallmarked with the PP Seal, a level of quality going beyond the "Geneva Seal" standards. It can be considered a compendium of the best and most innovative horological technology available at the moment of its inception and is housed in an Art Deco-style case inspired by the very first split second chronograph wristwatches of the 1920s. The cushion-shape case, the typical dial layout with outer railway fifths of a second divisions and the two horizontal subsidiary dials, the Breguet numerals, the engraved motif at the corners of the dial (reprised on the movement as well, showcasing Patek Philippe's incredible attention to detail), every little nuance of the timepiece is devised with the open intention of sending the beholder on a time voyage back to the 1920s and 30s.
Reference 5950A
Patek Philippe’s Ref. 5950A split seconds chronograph is a further manifestation of the manufacture’s independence by presenting a stopwatch that in a fascinating way violates the conventions of haute horlogerie and creates its own market segment. It features a stunningly thin rattrapante movement produced one at a time by the most gifted watchmakers and cased in stainless steel. Both the caliber and the case are finished to such a degree of perfection that they are symbiotic – as befits a creation signed by Patek Philippe.
Reference 5950A (A for Acier, French for steel) is Patek Philippe’s first split seconds chronograph wristwatch cased in stainless steel, a material as highly regarded today as platinum and the various gold colours.
Typically, horological marvels are cased in precious metal. Ref. 5950A is the exception to the rule, with a cushion-shaped case in solid stainless steel, water-resistant to 30 meters. The sapphire-crystal glass is cushion-shaped as well and slightly cambered, as is the display back. It allows a view of the breath-taking mechanisms that constitute the world’s thinnest split-seconds chronograph with column wheel control, framed by a satin-finished surround with gold-filled engravings.
The silvery matte shine of the dial matches the deep gloss of the polished steel case. The crisp railway track minute scale emphasizes the masculine, technical look of the split seconds chronograph. The four dial corners are decorated with fine black-lacquered engravings adding a touch of graceful elegance, beautifully harmonizing with the blackened 18K white gold Breguet numerals. The two subsidiary dials are decorated with intricate circular guilloché patterns.
Another noticeable feature of the watch is the case, thinner than many “time only” watches. This was possibly thanks to the superb calibre 27-525 PS with which the manufacture set a new world record in 2005 for the thinnest column-wheel chronograph caliber ever made. To achieve this technical prowess a special department was set up in 2003 explicitly to develop this very first proprietary chronograph movement.
Every single CHR 27-525 PS movement is manually crafted in the manufacture’s haute horlogerie ateliers. Each one is composed of components that are individually filed, chamfered, polished, adjusted, and finished. When all the parts are ready, they are assembled in a so-called “repassage en blanc” procedure, after which all functions are tested before the entire movement is disassembled again. Once all parts have been meticulously cleaned, they are reassembled, lubricated, and fine-tuned. Thus, using ancestral production methods, Patek Philippe’s watchmakers create horological masterpieces that exceed the expectations of even the most discerning connoisseurs.
Reference 5950A
Patek Philippe’s Ref. 5950A split seconds chronograph is a further manifestation of the manufacture’s independence by presenting a stopwatch that in a fascinating way violates the conventions of haute horlogerie and creates its own market segment. It features a stunningly thin rattrapante movement produced one at a time by the most gifted watchmakers and cased in stainless steel. Both the caliber and the case are finished to such a degree of perfection that they are symbiotic – as befits a creation signed by Patek Philippe.
Reference 5950A (A for Acier, French for steel) is Patek Philippe’s first split seconds chronograph wristwatch cased in stainless steel, a material as highly regarded today as platinum and the various gold colours.
Typically, horological marvels are cased in precious metal. Ref. 5950A is the exception to the rule, with a cushion-shaped case in solid stainless steel, water-resistant to 30 meters. The sapphire-crystal glass is cushion-shaped as well and slightly cambered, as is the display back. It allows a view of the breath-taking mechanisms that constitute the world’s thinnest split-seconds chronograph with column wheel control, framed by a satin-finished surround with gold-filled engravings.
The silvery matte shine of the dial matches the deep gloss of the polished steel case. The crisp railway track minute scale emphasizes the masculine, technical look of the split seconds chronograph. The four dial corners are decorated with fine black-lacquered engravings adding a touch of graceful elegance, beautifully harmonizing with the blackened 18K white gold Breguet numerals. The two subsidiary dials are decorated with intricate circular guilloché patterns.
Another noticeable feature of the watch is the case, thinner than many “time only” watches. This was possibly thanks to the superb calibre 27-525 PS with which the manufacture set a new world record in 2005 for the thinnest column-wheel chronograph caliber ever made. To achieve this technical prowess a special department was set up in 2003 explicitly to develop this very first proprietary chronograph movement.
Every single CHR 27-525 PS movement is manually crafted in the manufacture’s haute horlogerie ateliers. Each one is composed of components that are individually filed, chamfered, polished, adjusted, and finished. When all the parts are ready, they are assembled in a so-called “repassage en blanc” procedure, after which all functions are tested before the entire movement is disassembled again. Once all parts have been meticulously cleaned, they are reassembled, lubricated, and fine-tuned. Thus, using ancestral production methods, Patek Philippe’s watchmakers create horological masterpieces that exceed the expectations of even the most discerning connoisseurs.