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Lot Essay
To the best of our knowledge, this breathtakingly attractive watch is only the second reference 5217P to appear at international auction since the model was introduced in 2014. Moreover, it is presented in pristine, almost new condition and complete with all accessories.
Reference 5217P, is one of the marvels of Patek Philippe’s contemporary ‘Grand Complication’ timepieces and undoubtedly one of the greatest Patek Philippe watches of the 21st century. Not only an awe-inspiring technical masterpiece, it is also a splendid example of the company’s haute joaillerie tradition. Set with 56 specially shaped baguette diamonds (3.54 carats) on the bezel and lugs, the stunning black dial has baguette diamond hour markers and the bracelet clasp is set with a further 22 baguette diamonds (0.97 carats). Due to the immense skills required to produce a watch of this nature, very few pieces have been made and naturally, only Patek Philippe’s most important clients were offered or could apply for the chance to own an example of this spectacular watch.
Reference 5217P, sibling of reference 5216P and one of the successors to the legendary reference 5016 has a unique and compelling aesthetic and a quite incredibly complex movement, the caliber R TO 27 PS QR. An extraordinary tour-de-force of watchmaking at the highest level, it features three of the most important complications in horology; the minute repeater, the perpetual calendar and the tourbillon. The perpetual calendar mechanism of this watch is one of the most sophisticated in existence whereby the calendar functions are instantaneous so that all the calendar displays advance at precisely the same time.
In addition to the perpetual calendar, reference 5217P also unites the audible charms of a two-gong minute repeater with the gravity-defying precision of a tourbillon escapement. The minute repeating mechanism is one of the most challenging and expensive for modern watchmakers to create, not only in the miniaturization of the mechanism but also in its acoustic qualities and tone. When the slide is activated on the side of the case, it strikes the hours, quarter-hours and minutes on two finely tuned coiled gongs. Understated elegance has always been a hallmark of Patek Philippe and rather than display the revolving tourbillon cage, it is in fact concealed, and for a very practical reason - the oil used to lubricate the mechanism is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and will decompose when exposed to daylight, thus losing its beneficial tribological properties.
The Minute Repeater
On demand, the minute repeater strikes the hours, the quarter hours and then the minutes that have elapsed since the last quarter hour. The first hammer strikes the hours on the low-pitched gong with one strike for each hour. Subsequently, each quarter hour is sounded as an alternating double strike by two hammers on both the high- and low-pitched gongs. Finally, the second hammer strikes the high-pitched gong to count the number of minutes that have passed since the last quarter hour. At 12.59, for instance, the melody consists of 12 low sounds, 3 double high/low sounds, and 14 high sounds – totalling the maximum of 32 strikes.
Reference 5217P, is one of the marvels of Patek Philippe’s contemporary ‘Grand Complication’ timepieces and undoubtedly one of the greatest Patek Philippe watches of the 21st century. Not only an awe-inspiring technical masterpiece, it is also a splendid example of the company’s haute joaillerie tradition. Set with 56 specially shaped baguette diamonds (3.54 carats) on the bezel and lugs, the stunning black dial has baguette diamond hour markers and the bracelet clasp is set with a further 22 baguette diamonds (0.97 carats). Due to the immense skills required to produce a watch of this nature, very few pieces have been made and naturally, only Patek Philippe’s most important clients were offered or could apply for the chance to own an example of this spectacular watch.
Reference 5217P, sibling of reference 5216P and one of the successors to the legendary reference 5016 has a unique and compelling aesthetic and a quite incredibly complex movement, the caliber R TO 27 PS QR. An extraordinary tour-de-force of watchmaking at the highest level, it features three of the most important complications in horology; the minute repeater, the perpetual calendar and the tourbillon. The perpetual calendar mechanism of this watch is one of the most sophisticated in existence whereby the calendar functions are instantaneous so that all the calendar displays advance at precisely the same time.
In addition to the perpetual calendar, reference 5217P also unites the audible charms of a two-gong minute repeater with the gravity-defying precision of a tourbillon escapement. The minute repeating mechanism is one of the most challenging and expensive for modern watchmakers to create, not only in the miniaturization of the mechanism but also in its acoustic qualities and tone. When the slide is activated on the side of the case, it strikes the hours, quarter-hours and minutes on two finely tuned coiled gongs. Understated elegance has always been a hallmark of Patek Philippe and rather than display the revolving tourbillon cage, it is in fact concealed, and for a very practical reason - the oil used to lubricate the mechanism is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and will decompose when exposed to daylight, thus losing its beneficial tribological properties.
The Minute Repeater
On demand, the minute repeater strikes the hours, the quarter hours and then the minutes that have elapsed since the last quarter hour. The first hammer strikes the hours on the low-pitched gong with one strike for each hour. Subsequently, each quarter hour is sounded as an alternating double strike by two hammers on both the high- and low-pitched gongs. Finally, the second hammer strikes the high-pitched gong to count the number of minutes that have passed since the last quarter hour. At 12.59, for instance, the melody consists of 12 low sounds, 3 double high/low sounds, and 14 high sounds – totalling the maximum of 32 strikes.