Patek Philippe Annual Calendar – 5205G-010

Patek fans love the 5205G—otherwise known as 'the Annual Calendar with the two-tone dial'. This distinguishes it from other Patek annual calendar references manufactured from different metals, and with monotone dials: the 5205G reference refers to a watch with a white gold case, and either a matte black and slate grey dial/hands combo, or a rhodium and silver colour combination.
This article is based on the white gold Patek Philippe Annual Calendar – 5205G-010, with the matte black and slate grey dial. It's the dial that stands out on this luxury watch, so let's talk about that first.
The hour markers are indices, highly polished and applied. The hands are also highly polished: in fact, both markers and hands are so sumptuously finished that they appear to change colour in different lighting conditions. I've seen them shift from a depthless black, to a thundery purple, to bright white gold, depending on the play of shadows or illumination falling across the dial.
The same effect is seen on the dial itself: the 5205G-010 has a black central dial element, around which a slate-grey recessed ring is run, but as shade or light fall across these elements the balance of light and dark changes significantly. It looks, appropriately enough, as though the moon itself is illuminating the face of the watch, and the shift and play of light is caused as clouds run over its face.
I say 'appropriately', because this is a luxury watch with a moon phase complication. The moon phase indicator takes up a good portion of the central dial space, and is accurate to within one day every 122 years: really backing up the Patek claim that its watches are intended as inheritance pieces! Perhaps every third owner of a 5205G will need to get its moon phase complication regulated: extremely impressive, but then what did you expect from a Patek?
The annual calendar function requires regulation every year: but you can do that yourself, by resetting the date on March 1 (an annual calendar mechanically 'understands' the difference between months with 30 and 31 days, but is unable to account for February).
Day, date, and month indicators are done with superb symmetry: so much so that date-window haters may be compelled to rethink their position for this watch. The day window is placed between 10 and 11 o'clock, the date window is at midday, and the month window is between 1 and 2 o'clock. But so attentive to detail are Patek Philippe's designers that the day and month windows are actually slightly offset: the day appears closer to 10 than to 11, while the month appears closer to 2 than to 1. The overall effect is of total balance, making for a watch face that looks dressy as hell.
The case of the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5205G-010 is, as you'd expect, a work of art. It's done in reassuringly weighty white gold, and polished to such a lustre that from some angles it is impossible to tell what shape the bezel is. And that's no bad thing. By morphing in the light in the same way as the dial and hands, the marvellously-finished case is in total harmony with the theme of the piece. This is a watch that fluidly alters its appearance, just as the moon is seen differently every evening.
In reality, the bezel (look at the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar from the side, and you'll see it) is slightly curved, rising with a polished shoulder to the domed sapphire crystal. The lugs echo this shape with an inward curve—which, again, shifts as it fools around with the light.
A final word on the aesthetics of this watch: they're staggeringly impressive, but the chameleonic nature of the hands can render the dial illegible in some lights. You only have to shift your wrist, though, and the time is told again.
Behind the scenes, the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5205G-010 is no slouch. The movement (Calibre 324 S QA LU 24H/206) is comprised of 356 parts: a massive number considering the relatively small size of the 40 mm case. And yes, there's a reasonable rise to the piece, but it still sits well just where it's intended, next to the cuff of a dress shirt.
The movement vibrates at 4 Hz (28,800 vph). It's fitted with the Gyromax balance and Spiromax balance spring common to Patek watches, and has a power reserve of between 35 and 45 hours. You can see the rotor working through the sapphire crystal caseback: unusually for heavy-complication Patek Philippe watches, though, you can't really feel the vibrations on your wrist.
The case is water resistant to 30 m. But with a two-tone leather bracelet (white on the inside, black on the outside) and white gold Patek Philippe buckle to protect, I wouldn't be taking this into any swimming pools. At least you can splash it with champagne without worrying about killing it.
The Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5205G-010 is a class act. Sophisticated, constantly changing, perfectly symmetrical: it's everything you could want from a top-end dress watch, and more. Buy it for the special events in your life. End up wearing it whenever you get the chance.
You can view our latest Patek Philippe watches as well as the newest additions to our collection of luxury watches currently in stock here .
Image Credit – officialwatches.com vedere di piu replicas watch e Breitling Others