.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Introduced in 2010, reference 5950A immediately established itself as one of Patek Philippe’s most technically impressive and unconventional modern chronographs. Combining an exceptionally sophisticated split-seconds mechanism with a stainless steel Art Deco-inspired case, the reference deliberately departs from the traditional convention of housing the manufacture’s most complicated wristwatches exclusively in precious metals.
The cushion-shaped case draws its inspiration from Patek Philippe split-seconds chronographs of the 1920s and 1930s. Its period character is further enhanced by the silvery dial with blackened white gold Breguet numerals, an outer railway track with fifth-of-a-second divisions and two horizontally positioned subsidiary dials decorated with circular guilloché. Fine black-lacquered engraved motifs embellish each of the four corners of the dial, a decorative detail echoed on the movement and testament to Patek Philippe’s meticulous attention to detail.
At the heart of reference 5950A is the manually wound calibre CHR 27-525 PS, originally introduced in 2005 with reference 5959. Developed entirely in-house, it was Patek Philippe’s first proprietary chronograph movement and, at the time of its introduction, the thinnest manually wound column-wheel split-seconds chronograph movement ever created. Its remarkably slender construction allows the reference 5950A to maintain an exceptionally elegant profile despite the complexity of its rattrapante mechanism.
Each CHR 27-525 PS calibre was individually produced and finished within Patek Philippe’s haute horlogerie ateliers. Its components were individually filed, bevelled, polished and adjusted before undergoing an initial assembly and testing process known as ‘repassage en blanc’. The movement was then completely dismantled, cleaned, reassembled, lubricated and finally regulated. Visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, its exceptional finishing is further distinguished by the Patek Philippe Seal.
The significance of reference 5950A is heightened by its stainless steel construction. The ‘A’ suffix stands for ‘acier’, French for steel, and the model represented Patek Philippe’s first split-seconds chronograph wristwatch housed in this metal. Bringing together an extraordinarily sophisticated movement, a historically inspired design and the unusual use of stainless steel, reference 5950A occupies a particularly distinctive position among Patek Philippe’s modern complicated wristwatches.
The cushion-shaped case draws its inspiration from Patek Philippe split-seconds chronographs of the 1920s and 1930s. Its period character is further enhanced by the silvery dial with blackened white gold Breguet numerals, an outer railway track with fifth-of-a-second divisions and two horizontally positioned subsidiary dials decorated with circular guilloché. Fine black-lacquered engraved motifs embellish each of the four corners of the dial, a decorative detail echoed on the movement and testament to Patek Philippe’s meticulous attention to detail.
At the heart of reference 5950A is the manually wound calibre CHR 27-525 PS, originally introduced in 2005 with reference 5959. Developed entirely in-house, it was Patek Philippe’s first proprietary chronograph movement and, at the time of its introduction, the thinnest manually wound column-wheel split-seconds chronograph movement ever created. Its remarkably slender construction allows the reference 5950A to maintain an exceptionally elegant profile despite the complexity of its rattrapante mechanism.
Each CHR 27-525 PS calibre was individually produced and finished within Patek Philippe’s haute horlogerie ateliers. Its components were individually filed, bevelled, polished and adjusted before undergoing an initial assembly and testing process known as ‘repassage en blanc’. The movement was then completely dismantled, cleaned, reassembled, lubricated and finally regulated. Visible through the sapphire crystal caseback, its exceptional finishing is further distinguished by the Patek Philippe Seal.
The significance of reference 5950A is heightened by its stainless steel construction. The ‘A’ suffix stands for ‘acier’, French for steel, and the model represented Patek Philippe’s first split-seconds chronograph wristwatch housed in this metal. Bringing together an extraordinarily sophisticated movement, a historically inspired design and the unusual use of stainless steel, reference 5950A occupies a particularly distinctive position among Patek Philippe’s modern complicated wristwatches.