Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175: Triple Strike

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Commemorating the brand’s 175th anniversary of its founding is the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175. It features 20 complications including the Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie, minute repeater, alarm and date strike, among other things. Unveiled in October 2014, this marvel is powered by a new Calibre 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM manual-winding movement with the minimum power reserve of 72 hours. The Ref. 5175 is housed in an 18K rose gold case 47.4mm in diameter and 16.1mm thick. Limited to 7 pieces, the Patek Philippe Ref. 5175 is priced at CHF2.5 million. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Geneva 2014

Commemorating the brand’s 175th anniversary of its founding is the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175. It features 20 complications including the Grande Sonnerie, Petite Sonnerie, minute repeater, alarm and date strike, among other things. Unveiled in October 2014, this marvel is powered by a new Calibre 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM manual-winding movement with the minimum power reserve of 72 hours. The Ref. 5175 is housed in an 18K rose gold case 47.4mm in diameter and 16.1mm thick. Limited to 7 pieces, the Patek Philippe Ref. 5175 is priced at CHF2.5 million. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Geneva 2014

The best-kept secret in the watchmaking industry has finally been unveiled. At Patek Philippe’s Plan-les-Ouates manufacturing facility which has been amazingly transformed for the 175th anniversary celebrations of its founding (1839 to 2014), the brand finally showcased its Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 – the main highlight among its commemorative anniversary timepieces.

Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 is the result of seven years of research and development time. The Ref. 5175 features 20 complications including two world firsts in watchmaking: the first alarm function that strikes the time and secondly, the first date strike (activated on demand).

What’s more, the brand lays its claim to being the “only watch in the world to possess three distinct striking mechanisms: the Grande and Petite Sonnerie and minute repeater, the alarm and the date strike.”

Before attempting the challenge of identifying the 20 complications on the dial featuring the guilloched sunburst, do note that this Patek Philippe Ref. 5175 has two dials. In other words, it is a double-faced timepiece.

The other face of Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 features the 24-hour display and the instantaneous perpetual calendar functions. One highlight is the four-digit year display seen in the aperture at the centre of the dial. Corrections can be made in either direction with a patented mechanism created by the brand. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Geneva 2014

The other face of Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 features the 24-hour display and the instantaneous perpetual calendar functions. One highlight is the four-digit year display seen in the aperture at the centre of the dial. Corrections can be made in either direction with a patented mechanism created by the brand. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Geneva 2014

A patented reversing mechanism was created to allow the case to be rotated. Once reversed, the information on the second dial feature the 24-hour indication and the instantaneous perpetual calendar indications.

At the aperture in the centre of the dial is the four-digit year display.

Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 is powered by the Calibre 300 GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM manual-winding movement that is housed in an 18K rose gold case that is 47.4mm in diameter and 16.1mm thick.

This 18K rose gold case, its lugs and foldover-clasp are decorated with hand-engravings of laurel leaves.

Limited to seven pieces, with one piece reserved for the Patek Philippe Museum.

Patek Philippe’s Grandmaster Chime Ref. 5175 is priced at CHF2.5 million.

For those who wish to know what’s next, do note that this is a question Patek Philippe President Thierry Stern has pre-empted. “We have already started on our 200th anniversary watch,” he discloses at last night’s launch in the Patek Philippe Manufacture.

Panerai Radiomir 1940 Marina Militare 3 Days Acciaio PAM 587 Special Edition: For the Navy

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Housed in a 47mm diameter case, the Panerai Radiomir 1940 Marina Militare 3 Days Acciaio or PAM00587, launched at the September 2014 Watches & Wonders exhibition in Hong Kong, is powered by the in-house Calibre P.3000 manual-winding movement with three days of power reserve. The PAM 587 is fitted with a 3mm thick Plexiglas and includes a spare piece. Limited to 1,000 pieces and priced at SGD13,200 / MYR32,400 / AUD10,900. Note: Prices are correct on publication date. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2014 Watches & Wonders Hong Kong

Housed in a 47mm diameter case, the Panerai Radiomir 1940 Marina Militare 3 Days Acciaio or PAM00587, launched at the September 2014 Watches & Wonders exhibition in Hong Kong, is powered by the in-house Calibre P.3000 manual-winding movement with three days of power reserve. The PAM 587 is fitted with a 3mm thick Plexiglas and includes a spare piece. Limited to 1,000 pieces and priced at SGD13,200 / MYR32,400 / AUD10,900. Note: Prices are correct on publication date. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. Elfa / Timmy. 2014 Watches & Wonders Hong Kong

The PAM 587 Panerai Radiomir 1940 Marina Militare 3 Days Acciaio in stainless steel launched at the September 2014 Watches & Wonders exhibition in Hong Kong features “historic details” like those once made for the Italian Navy.

In the historical Radiomir divers’ wristwatch made by Panerai, its case diameter was 47mm thereby resulting in a large dial and with its “auto-luminescent hands and numerals… made it easily legible in all light conditions,” as stated in the book La Panerai di Firenze by Dino Zei.

The 2014 PAM 587 is also housed in a 47mm case, which according to the brand, is “the standard size for watches made for the commandos of the Navy because they had to be worn over a wet suit.”

The dial structure comprises “superimposed discs with Super-Luminova between them”; in other words, it is a sandwich dial. One reason why the PAM 587 is special is because there is no Panerai branding on its black dial which instead has the words “Marina Militare” inscribed on it.

The Italian words “Marina Militare” means Navy when translated to English. The “Marina Militare” inscription on the upper half of the dials of historical Panerai watches followed the request of the Italian Navy and such divers’ wristwatches were made exclusively for them from the 1930s to the early 1950s.

Panerai made reproductions of these watches with such designs in 1993. [Source: La Panerai di Firenze by Dino Zei.]

Between the lugs of the PAM 587 Panerai Radiomir 1940 Marina Militare 3 Days Acciaio, one will be able to read the model number of the watch (PAM00587) and its case reference number.

Instead of sapphire crystal, a slightly cambered Plexiglas is used and a spare can be found in the pear wood watch presentation box.

Take note of the pointed hour and minute hands on the PAM 587 as these are similar to those found on historical models.

The PAM 587 Panerai Radiomir 1940 Marina Militare 3 Days Acciaio is powered by the brand’s in-house P.3000 manual-winding movement which has three days of power reserve once fully wound. The movement is visible from the rear as the watch has a sapphire crystal display case back.

The PAM 587 is a special edition model that is limited to 1,000 pieces.