Patek Philippe watch replicas uk is renowned for offering the absolute highest standards in the entire watch industry. Movements, cases and finishes: the level of dedication and passion in making the components respects a tradition of excellence that has lasted uninterruptedly since 1839. In summary, Patek Philippe represents nobility in watchmaking, there is no doubt. It is no coincidence that his watches are on the wrists of influential people and celebrities all over the world. The long list includes figures of the caliber of Queen Victoria, Pablo Picasso, the Dalai Lama, John Mayer and many others. We do not love the brand solely because it is chosen by well-known people (although this adds further prestige), but for the fact that it passes down a tradition of excellence through the tireless and uninterrupted training of its master watchmakers.
Personally, my favorite Patek Philippe watches have always been time-only ones, especially the Calatrava 5196 and Ellipse d’Oro collections. Sometimes, however, we need to raise the bar and aim for something even more refined, where the best minds and hands come together to create something extraordinary. Patek Philippe’s complications come into play here (a perfect example is the Patek Philippe Nautilus Perpetual Calendar 5740-1G), among which three references presented in 2024 stand out.
The Patek Philippe Calatrava Weekly Calendar Reference 5212A-001
At first glance the beauty of this technical masterpiece overwhelms you. However, we certainly cannot judge a watch by first impressions. The 5212A is an absolute pleasure as soon as you understand how it was made. In the Weekly Calendar the name is self-explanatory, since it indicates to the lucky owner the current week of the month. It’s not all; the dial is carefully divided into days and months. But it’s not over yet! The font is the real aesthetic gem, because days and months seem written by hand. Don’t you think it’s romantic? At first glance it’s a detail you might miss, but once you discover it, a sense of nostalgia may come over you. It reminded me of the days when you sent postcards to loved ones overseas.
You might be wondering at this point: why would anyone care about looking up the week and month on a wristwatch? It’s no mystery that the average buyer thinks this way. Equally, it could be argued that we don’t need any watches since our phones, for example, already offer all the information we need. Why then do we wear them? For a myriad of reasons and the measure of time is certainly not the first. Continuing with the analysis of the watch, the 5212A Weekly Calendar debuted an entirely new caliber. Try asking other watch brands to make a similar complication, the minimum case size would probably be 42 mm.
But Patek is Patek, and they achieved their goal by placing this complication in a case measuring just 40mm in diameter. At this point you will think: “ok, the case measures 40 mm, the thickness will measure at least 14 mm”. I am wrong? The thickness instead stops at 10.79mm. Another valuable and intelligent innovation is the adoption of a steel case. I think the development team guessed right; if you want to capture the “frequent flyer” audience, adopting a precious metal for the checkout can be risky. Although we travel little lately, we will soon return to normality, made up of quick and frequent transfers by train or plane. And the last thing we want is to risk damaging our watch.
The Patek Philippe Chronograph Reference 5172G-001
Haruki Murakami, a well-known Japanese writer, wrote this beautiful phrase: “The clock marks the time and the hours pass inexorably. The past advances, the future recedes. Possibilities decrease, remorse increases.” As sad as this sentence may sound, give me a 5172G Chronograph, and I would more than willingly accept the inexorable passage of time. Are you looking for a rather widespread complication, but certainly not obvious given how it is made? The 5172G Chronograph is a point of arrival. Unlike its predecessor, this version offers everything you could want in a luxury chronograph and much more.
Usually, when we think of a sports watch or even a “tool watch” we immediately think of a steel watch, something robust, precise, pleasant and capable of withstanding anything. What if we wanted to add something else to the qualities of a refined mechanical chrono? The 5172G is, in the language widespread among very young people, “a lot of stuff”. Going into details, this masterpiece of elegance and masculine style measures 41mm in width and 11.45mm in thickness. It’s a reasonable size for a chronograph (when compared to the competition) and I think it’s perfect on most occasions.
Nowadays, no one is shocked anymore if you wear a chronograph instead of a classic three hands under your suit, and I think the white gold case and Arabic numerals further enhance the elegance of the shapes. The strongest element is once again the dial. The blue chosen by Patek has a sober but inviting tone. The aesthetic balance is once again enviable, whether you look at the tachymeter scale or the spheres; all the elements mix perfectly.
The Patek Philippe World Time Cloisonné Dial Reference 5231J-001
Do you remember what I wrote about the Weekly Calendar 5212A, the effect it has at first sight? And that the more you savor the details, the more you appreciate the watch? For the last of these three Pateks, the adjective “masterpiece” is the right one: here is the 5231J World Time. Let me say that World Time watches represent a great challenge for any brand, because they may or may not enhance its capabilities.
If the dial of a World Time is too crowded and the watch is difficult to interpret, the watch immediately loses appeal. Very few brands are able to best interpret this complication and Patek is one of them, there is no doubt. I don’t want to seem biased, but if there is a brand capable of creating it perfectly, it is Patek Philippe which has best interpreted this complication since 1940. Let’s get straight to the point and focus on the winning feature, the dial. Some people pay attention to the case, the dial, the movements and finally the font.
On the 5231J, the workmanship of the cloisonné enamel dial (made obviously by hand) is the main talking point; Africa, America and Europe are depicted on the dial. The canvas on which the map was painted is an 18-karat gold disc. The cloisonné decoration and the time zones of 24 cities are then applied to it. Everything is enclosed in a case measuring just 38.5mm in diameter and 10.23mm thick. But how will they ever do it?