Patek Philippe Ref. 5531R World Time Minute Repeater
In July 2017, on the occasion of its hugely successful brand exhibition in New York, Patek Philippe launched the Ref. 5531 New York Special Edition as an exclusive debut for the US market. Now, the micromechanical masterpiece has been added to the manufacture’s regular collection. It is a new grand complication with features in a domain that Patek Philippe has dominated for decades: a minute repeater, a World Time mechanism, an enamel arts dial, and a rose-gold case crafted in-house.
As a trailblazing innovation, the Ref. 5531 is endowed with a World Time minute repeater that in contrast to all other watches of this type strikes local time rather than home time and can be conveniently set to the respective time zone with a separate pusher. Controlling the hour strike to one-second accuracy via the 24-hour display of the World Time mechanism is a horological feat that has never been accomplished so consummately and for which a patent application has been filed.
This achievement is credited to the new self-winding caliber R 27 HU movement that consists of 462 parts and is crafted in the manufacture’s haute horlogerie workshops. It is wound by a minirotor in 22K gold which is fully recessed in the movement and exhibits a hand-guilloched hobnail pattern.
From the front, the new Ref. 5531 shows a fascinating dial that reflects a grand Patek Philippe tradition: a magnificent cloisonné enamel depiction of the Lavaux vineyard terrace region on the shores of Lake Geneva, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Lapped rose-gold hands hover above this stage. The silhouette of the artistically pierced hour hand is inspired by the “Southern Cross” constellation. It always indicates the local time in the city aligned with the 12 o'clock position. The times of the other 23 world time zones are displayed opposite the respective place names by the concentric 24-hour scale that doubles as a day/night indicator thanks to its two differently colored ring halves. Incidentally, the Central European Time (CET) zone is represented by Geneva instead of by Paris. This accentuates the Lac Léman optics of the dial.
The movement and the World Time dial are accommodated in an elegant rose-gold case. It owes its very slender looks to skeletonized lugs and the special shape of the crystal. Its flanks and the repeater slide are decorated with a hand-guilloched hobnail pattern. The rectangular time-zone pusher is polished, and the crown is adorned with a Calatrava cross. Additionally, the watch is the manufacture’s first minute repeater in which the gongs are attached to the caseband rather than to the plate. “This makes it more difficult to adjust the sonority but in this model produces a better sound,” says president Thierry Stern. Reason enough to tolerate the extra effort.
The Ref. 5531R World Time Minute Repeater is worn on a shiny chocolate brown alligator leather strap with a fold-over clasp in 18K rose gold.
Patek Philippe Ref. 5531R World Time Minute Repeater
Technical specifications:
Movement: Caliber R 27 HU; Ultra-thin self-winding mechanical movement. Minute repeater with local-time strike. 24 time zones. Local time
Diameter: 32 mm (basic caliber: 30 mm; World Time module: 32 mm)
Height: 8.5 mm (basic caliber: 5.2 mm; World Time module: 3.3 mm)
Number of parts: 462
Number of jewels: 45
Power reserve: 48 hours
Winding rotor: 22K gold minirotor, unidirectionally winding
Frequency: 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour (3 Hz)
Balance: Gyromax
Balance spring: Spiromax (in Silinvar)
Balance spring stud: Adjustable
Displays: With hands:
• Center hours and minutes
With disks:
• City disk with 24 place names • 24-hour disk
Functions: Two-position crown: • Pushed home: To wind the watch • Pulled out: To set the time
Pushers: Time-zone pusher at 2 o'clock (local time setting in 1-hour increments)
Minute repeater actuation: Slide in left-hand case flank
Hallmark: Patek Philippe Seal
Features
Case: 18K rose gold 5N; Sapphire-crystal display back and interchangeable solid-gold back, Case protected against moisture and dust, not water-resistant
Case dimensions: Diameter 10 to 4 o'clock: 40,2 mm; Width 9 to 3 o'clock: 43.83 mm; Length across lugs: 47.35 mm; Height (crystal to lugs): 12.08 mm; Height (crystal to case back): 11.49 mm; Width between lugs: 21 mm
Dial: •City disk in German silver, lacquered opaline silvery white with place names printed in black
• 24-hour disk in 18K rose gold 5N, day hours engraved and brown tinted – engraved sun symbol, night hours and moon symbol engraved in brown background
• Center 18K gold, cloisonné enamel with polychrome depiction of Lavaux landscape on Lake Geneva
• Hour and minute hands in 18K rose gold, lapped, hour hand with “Southern Cross” silhouette, pierced
Strap: Alligator leather with large square scales, hand-stitched, shiny chocolate brown, fold-over clasp in 18K rose gold.
The price for the Patek Philippe Ref. 5531R World Time Minute Repeater is CHF 495,000.
