
This year, the venerable Patek Philippe, a master at complications, unveiled a new perpetual calendar watch that wowed the collector world. The In-Line Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5236P is the brand’s first wristwatch to display the day, date and month in a single horizontal line of apertures across the dial. Three patent applications were filed by Patek for the new self-winding movement, Caliber 31-260 PS QL, which required an additional 118 parts above those typically found in the brand’s conventional calendar.
The patent applications are for the display system (which uses double ball bearings), the shock absorber and anti-double-jump feature (that improves readability of the date and synchronization of the numeral disks), and the date mechanism(that ensures a smooth transition between months). On the lower portion of the dial resides the second hand and a moonphase indication. To the right and left of the circular subsidiary dial are the leap year and the day/night display.
$130,110, available at Patek Philippe at Geary’s Beverly Hills, +1 310 273 4741, patek.com