Patek Philippe

The Patek Philippe 5013, launched in 1992 and discontinued in 2010, is perhaps one of the brand’s grandest, most celebrated references to date. A unique tonneau-shaped wristwatch sporting a perfect combination of classic aesthetics and modern charm, the 5013 is certainly a sight for sore eyes. The watch, however, is not entirely about appearances. Including a myriad of the most intricate timepiece complications, the 5013 is the first wristwatch to combine an automatic movement with a minute repeater, retrograde date, perpetual calendar, and moon phase---additionally making the 5013 the most complicated timepiece in the brand’s repertoire at the time. The complexities of repeating perpetual calendar timepieces were not foreign to Patek Philippe though. The brand had long been manufacturing repeating perpetual calendars in the form of pocket watches for over a century. The application of such complexities to a wristwatch, though, was a modern revolution.

The star of the piece is undoubtedly the minute repeating function. As one of the most difficult complications to execute to perfection, the time-indicating chime is set off by a slider on the left-hand side of the case prompting two hammers to strike a gong located alongside the inner case. Patek Philippe’s watershed success of the complication had thus deemed them masters of minute repeaters. Because of its complex nature, production of the 5013 was limited. Even in spite of its lengthy production run, it is estimated that a mere 101 examples were produced across all materials (yellow, pink, white gold, and platinum), with only 45 examples made in platinum. Furthermore, it is believed that less than half of these 45 platinum pieces have graced the public eye in auction. A unique, extremely rare twist on a classic Grand Complication, this piece boasts both versatility and timelessness.