Patek Philippe Chronograph, 2008

Dealer description — Analog/Shift

Patek Philippe has sat atop the horological mountain for going on two centuries, having earned near-universal acclaim for their proficiencies in designing, engineering, and manufacturing some of the most exquisite timepieces the world has ever seen. The celebrated maison has a tradition of creating watches that transcend mere trends and changing tastes. Leaning on the pillars of timeless design, refinement, and mechanical ingenuity, there’s arguably no other manufacture that does it better. One of the most legendary of complications for Patek Philippe is the manually-wound chronograph. Following the discontinuation of the Ref. 1463 in the mid-20th century, Patek had no manually-wound chronograph in its collection. Then, in 1998, the brand presented the Reference 5070. Featuring modern 42mm proportions and utilizing a much smaller movement based upon the Lemania 2310 ébauche, Patek filled the extra dial space with added scales around its perimeter. The 5070 was bold in its proportions, and the market didn’t initially fall for it. Over time, however, its small production numbers, high quality, and vintage-inspired aesthetics saw it enjoy one of the most legendary collecting statuses in the neo-vintage Patek marketplace. This particular 5070 from circa 2008 is emblematic of all that makes the Ref. 5070 such a highly desired piece: Housed in a 42mm platinum case with 'paddle' pushers, a signed crown, an elegant stepped bezel, and a sapphire crystal, it features a sunray blue dial with a white-printed 1/5th-seconds track, tachymeter scale, and 'railroad' minute track; applied white gold 'Arabic' indices; a dual-register chronograph with 30-minute counter; and an elegant 'feuille' handset. Powered by the Patek Philippe Calibre CH 27-70 hand-wound movement with a beat rate of 18,000 vph and a power reserve of 58 hours, it comes paired to a blue alligator strap with tone-on-tone top stitching and a signed deployant clasp. Accompanied by its box set as well as an Extract from the Archives dating to 2008, this gorgeous, vintage-inspired Patek is ready for the wrist of its next owner.