Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Moonphase

In 1996, Patek Philippe made one of its most brilliant strategic moves— the introduction and development of the Annual Calendar compilation. Patek recognized a gap in offerings, between the simple and (relatively) accessible Calatrava classic dress watches, and the complicated, and in turn, highly expensive, Grand Complications. The so called “Annual Calendar” bridged the gap between these two price points, offering a natural progression for collectors looking to access a Patek complication at a more accessible price point. The Annual Calendar needs adjusting just once per year. This change allows the movement to be far more economical to produce, easier to service, and cheaper to purchase.  The inaugural Reference 5035 Annual Calendar of 1996 was a tremendous success, and ever since, Patek’s Annual Calendars have been a popular favorite. The Reference 5205 was Patek’s 2010 reimagination of the Annual Calendar. The 5205 largely built upon the DNA of the 5960, an annual calendar flyback chronograph released a few years earlier. Both the 5205 and 5960 featured simplified calendar displays, showing the day, date, and month in apertures rather than subsidiary registers. This kept the dial uncluttered and balanced with perfect symmetry left and right. The dial is partitioned with faceted hour markers and dot applied minute markers. The hands are set with a small strip of lume, meaning the hands have the functionality of lume without the clunkiness of heavily lumed hands. This handset preserves the beauty of unlumed hands without sacrificing the advantages.  A number of other stylistic choices were made with the 5205 that separated it from previous references. Unlike the 5035 and 5146 annual calendars, the 5205 had a concave bezel and pierced lugs, two details that helped reinforce the modern look of this piece. Additionally, the 5205 was sized at a comfortable 40mm— not too large and not too small, a good balance for the complication. These factors all make the 5205 one of the greatest modern Patek references, and one of the greatest places to start with complicated Patek Philippe. The aesthetics are classic and modern all at the same time.  This particular 5205, fashioned from white gold, has a subtle gray two-tone dial that is reminiscent of many field watch dials. It comes complete with its inner and outer boxes, travel pouch, and papers and pamphlets.