31 October 2015

Patek Philippe’s new Ref. 5370 rattrapante chronograph fits into a long tradition of excellence: the manufacture produced its first wristwatch of this kind back in 1922. It is in fact a split-seconds chronograph, also known as a double chronograph, that can be used to measure intermediate times or the duration of two simultaneous events (in a car race, for instance) thanks to the presence of two independent second hands. A complication much sought after by collectors owing to the difficulty of its realization: in this case the watchmaker has developed a highly sophisticated hand-wound mechanical movement in which the “classic” technical systems, made to the highest standards of quality, are accompanied by numerous patented innovations, intended to optimize its reliability and accuracy. It is extremely elegant in appearance: the case, in the Calatrava style, has a diameter of 41 mm and houses a splendid enamel dial in an intense and deep shade of black—also made “in house”—against which the numerals and hands in white gold stand out clearly, as does the printed tachymeter scale. The choice of the most precious of all metals, platinum, emphasizes the exclusivity of this creation.