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Lot Essay
Christie’s is delighted to be able to offer clients and collectors the opportunity to obtain one of the great Patek Philippe Grand Complication wristwatches, the reference 5304R – a modern legend and world-class timepiece.
Described by Patek Philippe as “a miracle of transparency”, this stunningly attractive and breathtakingly complex reference 5304 is an automatic semi-skeletonised minute repeating perpetual calendar wristwatch with retrograde date, moon phases, leap year indication. Semi-openworked Grand Complications are very unusual in Patek Philippe’s production and as such, this reference is perfect for any collector seeking great exclusivity among complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches. Reference 5304 is not only one of the rarest, but one of the most technically sophisticated of Patek Philippe’s Grande Complication models.
Both the case band, slide and movement are exquisitely engraved with stylized leaves and flowers, the self-winding caliber R 27 PS QR LU movement is magnificently displayed through the dial and the back to view the mechanical marvels inside. One of the greatest challenges for the watchmakers was to legibly present on the transparent sapphire crystal dial, the subsidiary seconds, the moon’s age and the hours and minutes so that they did not obscure the view of the mechanisms beneath. This was achieved by making the subsidiary dials transparent, the retrograde date has a scale on the perimeter of the dial, the days of the week, months and leap-year indications are printed in white on rotating sapphire discs which move over a black panel in order to read the current calendar.
Minute repeating is the most expensive and skilled complication to be fitted to a wristwatch, when this is combined with self-winding, perpetual calendar, moon phases and skeletonized, the achievement is at the very pinnacle of watchmaking excellence.
The Minute Repeater
Immediately after the foundation of Patek Philippe in 1839 the first quarter repeating pocket watches were produced, the earliest minute repeater dates from 1845. It was and still is today one of the firm’s specialities. Repeating watches strike the hours, quarters and minutes on demand. This fascinating function is one of the most difficult complications to execute and among the greatest horological challenges.
Reference 5304
Launched in 2014 and discontinued in 2018, it was the successor to the legendary reference 5104. Reference 5304 is one of the very few skeletonized models by Patek Philippe and by far the most complex, including a perpetual calendar with moon phases and featuring one of the clearest and loudest chimes amongst Patek Philippe's minute repeaters, both considered Patek Philippe specialties in complications.
In effect, this watch should be considered a semi-skeletonized watch, as four subsidiary dials are indeed present. The dials are however completely transparent, allowing for an unobstructed view of the movement that rivals that of many fully skeletonized watches. The calendar information is displayed through a very ingenious - and patented – system; instead of hands moving above the subsidiary dials, the watch has black squares moving under the subsidiary dials and visible through the pink gold apertures. The contrast between the white graphic of the designations and the black square provides a readability with an immediacy and clarity hardly ever seen on skeletonized timepieces, and even more rarely seen on highly complicated skeletonized wristwatches.
Reference 5304 is certainly one of the most exclusive collector's watches a connoisseur can dream of. A timepiece of such high quality, complexity, rarity and unique looks, is considered a truly rare gem in today's market.
Described by Patek Philippe as “a miracle of transparency”, this stunningly attractive and breathtakingly complex reference 5304 is an automatic semi-skeletonised minute repeating perpetual calendar wristwatch with retrograde date, moon phases, leap year indication. Semi-openworked Grand Complications are very unusual in Patek Philippe’s production and as such, this reference is perfect for any collector seeking great exclusivity among complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches. Reference 5304 is not only one of the rarest, but one of the most technically sophisticated of Patek Philippe’s Grande Complication models.
Both the case band, slide and movement are exquisitely engraved with stylized leaves and flowers, the self-winding caliber R 27 PS QR LU movement is magnificently displayed through the dial and the back to view the mechanical marvels inside. One of the greatest challenges for the watchmakers was to legibly present on the transparent sapphire crystal dial, the subsidiary seconds, the moon’s age and the hours and minutes so that they did not obscure the view of the mechanisms beneath. This was achieved by making the subsidiary dials transparent, the retrograde date has a scale on the perimeter of the dial, the days of the week, months and leap-year indications are printed in white on rotating sapphire discs which move over a black panel in order to read the current calendar.
Minute repeating is the most expensive and skilled complication to be fitted to a wristwatch, when this is combined with self-winding, perpetual calendar, moon phases and skeletonized, the achievement is at the very pinnacle of watchmaking excellence.
The Minute Repeater
Immediately after the foundation of Patek Philippe in 1839 the first quarter repeating pocket watches were produced, the earliest minute repeater dates from 1845. It was and still is today one of the firm’s specialities. Repeating watches strike the hours, quarters and minutes on demand. This fascinating function is one of the most difficult complications to execute and among the greatest horological challenges.
Reference 5304
Launched in 2014 and discontinued in 2018, it was the successor to the legendary reference 5104. Reference 5304 is one of the very few skeletonized models by Patek Philippe and by far the most complex, including a perpetual calendar with moon phases and featuring one of the clearest and loudest chimes amongst Patek Philippe's minute repeaters, both considered Patek Philippe specialties in complications.
In effect, this watch should be considered a semi-skeletonized watch, as four subsidiary dials are indeed present. The dials are however completely transparent, allowing for an unobstructed view of the movement that rivals that of many fully skeletonized watches. The calendar information is displayed through a very ingenious - and patented – system; instead of hands moving above the subsidiary dials, the watch has black squares moving under the subsidiary dials and visible through the pink gold apertures. The contrast between the white graphic of the designations and the black square provides a readability with an immediacy and clarity hardly ever seen on skeletonized timepieces, and even more rarely seen on highly complicated skeletonized wristwatches.
Reference 5304 is certainly one of the most exclusive collector's watches a connoisseur can dream of. A timepiece of such high quality, complexity, rarity and unique looks, is considered a truly rare gem in today's market.