Is Patek Philippe testing its fans ? It’s well known that the manufacture is not addicted to marketing, campaigns or even simple announcements. In fact, it’s more or less useless for Patek Philippe, considering that the fan base of the manufacture gather die hard collectors who look for any change within the portfolio of the brand, on their own. This product range now counts 230 references and most Patek lovers know most of them by heart in their related gender.
So, have they noticed this new Patek Philippe 5270 ? Probably. But behind these four digits stand something quite uncommon for Patek. But first, let’s have a look at the rearview mirror.
Patek Philippe 5270 – Why QP + Chrono = Patek
Patek Philippe was the very first manufacture to patent the QP, Quantième Pepétuel (Perpetual Calendar) on a wrist watch in 1925. A few years later, the brand added a chronograph to this first complication. It was the reference 1518, in 1941.
From this particular turn of history, this wedding of a chronograph and a QP became one of Patek’s trademark. Many models dispayed that sacred duet, now know under the reference 5270. This type of watch still has an amazing success in auctions. To date, a second hand Patek Philippe 5270, QP and chronograph, can be found for an average of 130’000 EUR.
Patek Philippe 5270 – Back in blue
That’s were a new version of this piece might stand as the next big thing for all Patek lovers. Without any notice, information and out of the frame of traditional fairs such as Baselworld, Patek added a blue dial version of its 5270 !
So far, blue dials were rare in Patek’s portfolio. Less than 10 references existed, including grey / blue dials of some Nautilus. Still, it’s a fact that these blue dials were a major 2013 trend. It went from Jaquet Droz, Vulcain, Hublot, to Festina, Tudor, Graham, De Bethune and other Glashütte. In fact, by the end of the year, it became in the watch industry as important as ‘full black’ pieces, with their DLC, PVD and carbon fiber cases.
Now available in blue, the Patek Philippe 5270 reveals a new face. This electric finishing, more modern than the traditional grey, gives the watch a sporty design wich perfectly fits the 41 mm case. Under the dial, we found the same caliber than others 5270. It’s a mechanical manually wound movement, called Caliber CH 29-535 PS Q. As usual in Patek’s models, « PS » stands for « Petite Seconde » (small second), while « Q » simply means « Quantième ».
The watch diplays the day, month, and leap year (at 5) and day/night (at 7) indications in apertures. The date is indicated by hand. At 6 stands the Moon phase, which is technologically associated to the QP complication. The case remain in white gold.
More resources about the Patek Philippe 5270 on Hodinkee, WatchTime, WatchProSite, and ABTW.