Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph | Patek Annual Calendar 5960R-012

• • For luxury watch collectors, a Patek Philippe is the pot of gold at the rainbow’s end.

• • Complicated luxury watches are Patek Philippe’s specialty, and the 5960R is a great one.

• • The 5960R combines a Patek chronograph, annual calendar, AM/PM indicator, and power reserve gauge.

• • As with all Patek Philippe watches, the 5960R is finished to a singular level of quality.

• • Mirror-finish holds up under a microscope; exceeds Geneva seal standards.

If there’s a poster boy for the complicated luxury watch, it’s a Patek Philippe calendar chronograph.

Long renowned as a master of fine finish, the second pillar of the Stern family’s haut-de-gamme icon has been its command of high complications and micro-mechanics. From the debut of its first perpetual calendar chronograph in the early 1940s, Patek Philippe has made these compound complications a cornerstone of its platinum-grade cachet.

With all due respect to the Hayek family, if Swatch is the “Alpha” of the wristwatch passion, Patek is the “Omega.”

Patek Philippe’s 5960 debuted in 2006 as the vanguard of a new generation of Patek high horology.

The 5960 already is immortalized in the annals of Patek history as the company’s first in-house automatic chronograph. While older Lemania-based mechanisms were reliable and fit the traditional mold of Patek’s operation, the obvious issues of pedigree and waning long-term development potential persuaded PP brass to pursue a clean-sheet solution for future models.

The payoff to the 5960 owner is clear; the model was designed from day one to be more reliable and serviceable in consumer hands. But it boasts no less Patek mystique than the Geneva icon’s illustrious back catalog.

With complications and fine finish to burn, this a serious investment-grade wristwatch with a sky-high “gee-whiz” factor.

Even first-time Patek initiates know what to do with a watch from the foremost practitioner of haute horlogerie finish; turn it over!

The caseback of the 5960R exposes a sight that enchants at first glance and astounds upon closer examination. Legends of immaculate polished screw slots that hold up under microscope scrutiny and anglage with mirror finish enter the realm of reality.

Every bridge, lever, wheel, and plate bears the marks of master craftsmen; no portion of this movement goes untouched by human hands.

In an age when 3-D printers, autonomous cars, and disposable everything dominate technology headlines, the Patek Philippe 5960R is a glorious throwback to a time when the value of goods was a function of human blood, sweat, and savoir-faire.

Like a fine home or classical sculpture, the added-value of human skilled labor endows this complicated chronograph with timeless appeal. Make room in the will for your 5960R; this thing could outlive Methuselah.

Since June of 2009, each Patek Philippe has borne the imprint known as the “Patek Seal,” and it is present on this 5960R.

Whereas the previously-employed Geneva Hallmark represented an endorsement of movement quality, the Patek Philippe Seal is a holistic standard attesting to the uniformly high degree of finish on the movement, case, dial, strap, and clasp; no aspect of the watch is neglected.

While some may question the legitimacy of a company endorsing its own product, the gravitas of the Patek Philippe Seal was borne out by Geneva’s panicked reaction; the famed Poinçon de Genève  was revised to mirror Patek’s criteria. Leaders like Patek Philippe don’t play by the rules of the game; they set the standards.

Each 5960 is a chronograph first and foremost; the in-house CH-28 520 movement packs all of the latest technology. A 60-hour power reserve exceeds the industry standard 42 hours by a large margin, and the mainspring is wound by a gold rotor that rolls on lubrication-free ceramic bearings.

While rotor wear, cleaning, oiling, and occasional component replacement represent a common service expense on watches with conventional steel bearings, the 5960’s high-tech ceramic never requires oil or replacement. Even better, the system vastly increases winding efficiency and enhances power recovery for the mainspring.

Another key advantage over the old guard of Patek chronographs is the 5960’s vertical clutch engagement system.

It allows the chronograph to operate continuously without risking damage to the movement. This is a key advantage for those users who prefer the ease of reading a constant center seconds hand (rare on most chronographs). Previous Patek chronographs were too delicate to operate in such a fashion, and continuous use of an older Patek chrono (and many current-day rivals) could result in rapid damage: not a problem with the 5960.

The 5960 series debuted Patek’s innovative “monocounter” chronograph display.

With its hour and minute registers integrated into a single subdial at six o’clock, the aesthetic impact is balanced, discreet, and distinctive. While the original platinum/blue-dial 5960P generated a measure of controversy with its red-white-blue subdial treatment, the black-white-gold tandem of this rose gold variant is classical, refined, and powerful to behold in the metal.

Watch tech abounds on the 5960R’s gloss black dial.

The annual calendar windows span the upper arch of the watch face and offers instant recognition to the user. While many calendar watches employ indicator hands, illegible text, and iconography to relate day-date-month data, Patek places this information in the ultimate user-friendly format. Ponder the confounding countenance of  – for example – a Zenith Chronomaster Perpetual Calender, and the beauty of Patek’s logic may compel a solitary tear of joy.

As an annual calendar, the 5960R requires only a single correction per year; conventional calendar watches require correction following each nonstandard month.

A night/day indicator port within the monocounter informs the user of when he should avoid adjusting calendar indications, and a discreet power reserve gauge at 12 o’clock keeps the owner apprised of mainspring wind.

The 1916 Company is pleased to offer this landmark Patek Philippe complication with a full set of original factory boxes, papers, technical manuals, accessories, and the balance of Patek Philippe’s original factory warranty. Lightly pre-owned, every facet of this top-shelf time titan reads as new.

Now a discontinued model in all precious metals, the 5960R is poised to join the pantheon of collectible Patek Philippe luxury watches. While every discontinued watch becomes a limited edition by default, that notion does no justice to the collector infatuation with past-tense Pateks.

Buy this watch to enjoy it today, but remember; every Patek Philippe 5960 is an investment that’s built for the long haul.