PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 5160/500G-00, A RARE 18K GOLD AUTOMATIC PERPETUAL CALENDAR WRISTWATCH WITH RETROGRADE DATE INDICATION AND BREGUET NUMERALS
CASE NUMBER: 6’487’571, MOVEMENT NUMBER: 7’471’204
CIRCA: 2022
CASE MATERIAL: 18k white gold engraved case with hinged caseback
DIAMETER: 38 mm.
STRAP MATERIAL: Patek Philippe black CROCODILE leather strap
DIAL: Silvered with Breguet numerals
MOVEMENT: Cal. 324 S QR, automatic, 30 jewels
FUNCTIONS: Time, perpetual calendar, moon-phase, leap year indication
BUCKLE: Patek Philippe 18k white gold folding buckle with engraved clasp
WITH: Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin confirming the sale of watch on 23 August 2022, Patek Philippe Rare Handcrafts Certificate of Authenticity, product literature, setting pin, leather holder, presentation box and outer packaging
Ψ This endangered species strap is shown for display purposes only and is not for sale. Upon sale, this watch will be shipped without this strap. However, it can be collected from the Dubai office, contact a specialist for more information. One of the rarest Patek Philippe modern production complicated wristwatches, the 5160G is a perpetual calendar with retrograde or ‘flyback’ date and moon phases. The dial with applied Breguet numerals is unique to the white gold version, its design allows the display of several complications in an extremely elegant and easily readable way. In the upper half of the dial is the retrograde date scale numbered 1-31, when the hand reaches the last date of the month the hand instantly ‘flies’ back to the beginning. Apertures for the days of the week at 9 o’clock and months at 3 o’clock are centred by the leap-year indication below 12 o’clock. Placed in the lower half of the dial is the aperture for the moon phases.
The story of the reference 5160 is interesting because its design was inspired by a special order piece of its ‘sister’ reference 5159 that was launched in 2007 with the new Officer-style case. For reference 5159, the ancient and revered art of engraving was used to decorate the dial. A special order watch was subsequently granted to an important client for a reference 5159 with an artisanal engraved case, that watch was sold by Christie's Shanghai on 26 September 2013, lot 16.
Patek Philippe was reportedly so delighted by the beauty and impact of this special order piece, that they decided to release an entirely new reference based upon it - reference 5160. Introduced in 2010 in white, yellow or pink gold, it is thought that no more of two or three dozen pieces will ever be made for each.
The 38 mm. diameter Officier-style case is a tribute to the master artisans of Patek Philippe’s rare handcrafts division. The centre of the dial, the white-gold case, the hinged cover, and the clasp are lavishly decorated with entirely hand-executed engravings inspired by a pocket watch in the Patek Philippe Museum collection made for the American industrialist James Ward Packard.
It is interesting to note that, in the case of white gold 5160 but not in the case of yellow gold examples, the grooves of the engraving are highlighted with blackened silver powder in order to enhance the design. This subtle effect demonstrates the amazing attention to detail in every stage of Patek Philippe’s manufacturing process.
