Low-key blue-blooded aristocrat | Patek Philippe 5370P-011 split-second chronograph

For collectors who have the ability to own top-level complicated watches, once the price is just a string of digital symbols, will they pursue a single, multiple or as many complicated functions as possible? Patek Philippe has always had many complicated models, but there are only a handful of pure split-second chronographs. Perhaps it is because the appearance of a split-second chronograph is too similar to a general chronograph without the split-second function. Therefore, in the modern history of PATEK PHILIPPE, there are not many models with pure split-second chronograph functions. Most of them are equipped with perpetual calendars or slightly higher-end single-button split-second chronographs. No matter which one, the price is higher. Even after PP launched the self-made chronograph hand-winding movement CH 29-535 PS in 2009, it has extended many related models, from chronograph, perpetual calendar chronograph, and later directly to the top perpetual calendar split-second chronograph. Therefore, the birth of the real split-second chronograph 5370P has attracted special attention.

Generally, chronographs have a pair of buttons on the right side of the case to start the timing, and the 5370P-011 has an additional split-seconds button on the crown, which is matched with two central chronograph second hands on the dial. Normally, the two chronograph second hands will overlap, including when the timing is started, they will also be synchronized under overlapping conditions; when the button to stop the timing function is pressed, one of the second hands will pause and the other will continue to count. At this time, if the split-seconds button is pressed, the paused second hand will “catch up” with the second hand that is still counting, and this can be repeated to count multiple periods of time. It is easy to say, but this “chasing” action not only increases the complexity of the movement, but also increases the number of parts from 270 in the CH 29-535 PS movement to 312. The instantaneous bouncing action of the pointer requires extremely high stability.

PP’s modern “pure” split-second chronographs are indeed rare: the 2005 officer-style case Ref. 5959P was limited to 10 pieces, the 2010 Ref. 5950 was a single-button split-second chronograph with a less popular cushion-shaped case, and the Ref. 7059R was a single-button split-second chronograph for women. Since all of the above styles have been discontinued, the 5370P is not only the only split-second chronograph model currently available at PP, but also the first split-second chronograph with a round case in modern styles. The round case with high market acceptance and the pure split-second chronograph function make the price lower than those with other complex functions (such as perpetual calendars), and the addition of the rare Grand Feu enamel dial of PP is such an outstanding combination that it is no wonder that the 5370P has indeed sparked a wave of discussion among senior collectors of the orthodox school as soon as it was released.

The 5370P was launched in 2015, with a platinum material and a black dial with Grand Feu enamel. The new 5370P-011 in 2020 is a blue enamel dial version, which still looks calm overall. The surface is made of slender leaf-shaped luminous coated hands and platinum three-dimensional Breguet digital hour markers, with a white tachymeter scale printed on it. The Grand Feu enamel dial is made in the PP factory. The word “Email” at 6 o’clock means enamel in French. After the dial is coated with glaze on the gold plate, it is fired at a high temperature of 850 degrees, and then it takes 3 hours to polish the plate surface.

The case lines of the 5370P are also quite rich, and more modern and design-oriented, including the concave bright bezel, and the grooves on the side of the table are brushed and polished, and there is a large decorative round nail on the side of the lugs. These more varied contours are all designs that make the production and polishing more labor-intensive, but the shape is more three-dimensional. The CHR 29-535 PS is a fully self-made movement of PP. The delicate and exquisite split-second chronograph structure is definitely a beautiful scene that movement players can’t let go of. The complex parts are interlaced with delicate polishing and modification, and have the accuracy of -3 to +2 days of PP mark.

With the advent of the new model, the black-faced 5370P-001 will also be discontinued in 2020, so the blue-faced 5370P-011 will become the only split-second chronograph currently produced by PP. Although it is not limited, the production will not be too much. However, PATEK PHILIPPE, with a special combination of super-complex functions, platinum materials, and enamel faces, belongs to the top collectors. It is enough to have a must-have style like 5370P.