Patek Philippe

The 5213G belongs to the category of watches which explain why Patek has a very special place in the top of the watchmaking hill. It gathers with a lot of elegance and without any unnecessary trick two of the favorite complications of the Manufacture: the Perpetual Calendar and the Minutes Repeater, all together inside a hinged case which is welcome in this context.

One of the main Patek Philippe assets is to be able to propose different stylistic approaches for the same complications. The 5213G could be considered as an evolution in a rond case of the 5013 (tonneau shaped case) or as a version without the tourbillon of the 5016. But that's not enough! The 5213G stands out thanks to the use of the PC module with retrograde date hand while the 5074 offers the same combination of complications but with a traditional display of the calendar data. It is difficult in these conditions not to find the watch which perfectly meets our expectations!



I have to confess that I've never been a great fan of the PC display which uses the retrograde hand. I have always had the feeling that the PC module was not in its right place in large cases and the leap year window tends to overlap a bit the date graduation scale. But this display has a strong property: it proposes a small second hand located inside the 6 o'clock subdial which animates the dial and allows to check dial side if the watch is working. On the other hand, the 5074 doesn't have any permanent second hand.

Without any doubt, the retrgrade hand brings a touch of originality in the dial lay-out, the dial itself being very legible. The days, the months, the dates, the 4 years cycle, everything is easily readable at first glance even if the two main Breguet-style hands may sometimes hide the retroagrade hand (which is by the way the case on the pictures). The dial finishings are flawless, the applied figures and indexes bring a lot of refinement but I appreciate even more the small three-dimensional marks inserted inside the peripheral graduation scale every 5 minutes.



Usually struggling in cases which have a large diameter, the Perpetual Calendar module with retrograde hand seems here, by magic, appropriate while the watch has a 40,6mm diameter which starts to be a large size. The reason behind this paradox is at the end easy to explain. The diameter is large enough to allow to locate the full applied figures and the peripheral scale. So, visually speaking, the dial seems very balanced because its data are harmoniously spread.

The white gold case also deserves  a closer observation. It is a hinged case and it opens thanks to its hinge which allows to take advantage of the show proposed by the movement, especially when the hammers are at play. The hinge is located at the level of the lugs at 12 o'clock. This very elegant solution can be explained by the presence of the slide piece of the minutes repeater on the case side. Moreover, the case needs to be as homogeneous as possible in order to define the suitable context to get the best sound quality when the slide piece is moved. Anyway, the hinged case seems to me perfect here. The watch keeps a very discreet side and only the eyes of a true connoisseur will notice the presence of the slide piece on the case side. The happy owner of the 5213G can then open the hinged dust cover like a small music box. I love this small interaction and the idea to discover behind the theatre drapes a show which is a feast for the eyes... and the ears!



The automatic caliber R 27 PS QR, which has a 3hz frequency and a power reserve of around 40 hours, is a visual marvel whose several key elements stand out very quickly:

- The micro-rotor with its precise and subtle decorations
- The gongs and the hammers ready to produce the sounds
- The Pink Gold Calatrava Cross of the flywheel bridge


This movement, despite the number of complications, remains rather thin with a height of 7,23mm which allows the 5213G to keep a slender style despite the additional dust cover. But all these considerations would be useless if the sound of the minutes repeater was disappointing. I have to state that it totally meets my expectations. I consider the 5213G as one of the most convincing watches on this topic. The sound has a constant rhythm, is pure and its volume is very satisfactory. The two notes are different enough to hear the exact time without any difficulty. The movie below tries to share with you this sound quality even if the context in which it was shot was a bit too noisy:


The discreet side of the 5213G can be appreciated once put on the wrist. It is the perfect example of the selfish watch. Behind a rather classic style, can be found a complicated watch whose most seducing complication stays hidden and which is known only by the owner of the timepiece. It is another proof of the Patek Philippe excellence on complicated watches. The finishings are flawless and we just need to observe the guillochage of the of winding rotor to understand the gap between this type of movement and a classic basic 240 caliber. The true watchmaking mastery expresses itself in the fine-tuning of the minutes repeater: when I listened each and every note, I understood the  tremendous care in this crucial step. The 5213G is really an exceptional watch worthy of the prestige of the Manufacture which created it.


Thanks to the De Greef team in Brussels.

Pros:
+ the hinged case
+ the case and movement finishings
+ the show offered by the movement when the hammers play
+ the flawless sound quality

Cons:
- I'm not a fan of this Perpetual Calendar module because the leap year window is overlapping a bit the date graduation scale
- the power reserve is a bit too short

More posts: 50135016507452135213Gcalatravacomplicationsgrand complications

  login to reply