The Annual Affair
Like the Philippine Tatler Ball that is eagerly awaited every year, Patek Philippe’s Annual Calendar is a revolutionary timepiece that is, in and of itself, an event worth looking forward to
For many people, the passage of a year is marked by the different milestones that punctuate the months: events we look forward to with great anticipation and excitement. There are birthdays to celebrate, along with anniversaries that commemorate life-changing moments, as well as numerous holidays and festivals.
Such events call for timepieces which go beyond both fashion and function, elegant watches that add the right accent for any celebration. For this, Patek Philippe’s Annual Calendar is the perfect choice.
Since it was launched in 1996, the Annual Calendar is considered by horologists and watch connoisseurs a most revolutionary timepiece: a calendar watch that only needs one adjustment a year on the first of March—an innovation that is one of over a hundred patented by Patek Philippe. As one of the manufacture’s most enduring success stories in its 167-year history, this highly innovative timepiece has become one of its flagship models.
Within its first year, the Annual Calendar was named “Watch of the Year” by the Swiss luxury horology magazine Montres Passion in recognition of its unique aesthetic and technical qualities. Chief among these was the distinct “complication” that was considered useful, simple, and highly innovative. Over two decades on, this watch has propelled Patek Philippe to the pinnacle of the industry as it is a watch that truly exemplifies the manufacture’s expertise as well as its continuing drive for technological innovation.
Indeed, innovation remains the hallmark of Patek Philippe’s Annual Calendar. Since 2005, the Annual Calendar has been the watch chosen to embody the manufacture’s Advanced Research Concept which involves the use of the proprietary silicon-derived material Silinvar® in the mechanism. Models in this category sport unique features such as silicon-based escape wheels (Ref 5250); Silinvar® Spiromax balance springs (Ref 5350); and Silinvar® Pulsomax escapements.
“[The Annual Calendar] is a watch that truly exemplifies the manufacture’s expertise as well as its continuing drive for technological innovation”
The Annual Calendar Ref 5305 is considered an item that changed the game, particularly where complicated watches are concerned. Engineers at the manufacture ensured that the watch was extremely user-friendly. Rather than the more traditional lever-and-springbased mechanism used in perpetual calendar watches, the Annual Calendar featured a full rotating mechanism with a train of wheels and pinions. Developing the Annual Calendar also called for a rethink in the date mechanism. In the Annual Calendar Ref 5035, the 24-hour wheel features two fingerpieces. At the end of a standard 30-day cycle, the second fingerpiece pushes the month wheel forward by one extra day. In 1998, Patek Philippe added a sophisticated feminine touch tothe watch by adding moonphase and powerreserve indicators to the dial. These details were made more dramatic in 2005 when diamonds were added to the Ref 4936 and the Ref 4937. launched at Baselworld 2017, the Annual Calendar.
Today, as seen in the most recent models continues to raise the bar in the industry. The new Ref 4974G features a unique dial with a finish resembling shantung silk, a distinctive feminine touch. The Ref 5960/01G001 was updated with a leather strap; the recent redesign also gave it a look akin to that of classic pilots’ watches. The Ref 5396, now considered a classic, has also received a new look through the inclusion of a striking blue dial on two references, one of which sports baguette diamond indexes.
With Patek Philippe, one can be sure that every watch is a testament to the manufacture’s heritage of detailed craftsmanship and excellence. Indeed, it is constantly improving its timepieces, crafting each individual piece meticulously with an eye on both traditional artistry and a flexible sense of aesthetics that moves with the changing times. Indeed, the continuing evolution of the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar is, like the milestones we look forward to, worth waiting for with excitement and anticipation.