The most awaited complication for the Patek Philippe Nautilus collection was for sure the new perpetual calendar ref. 5740 that was released earlier this year at Baselworld 2018 and we brought you the news here. While we already told you almost everything about this new watch at the time we published our Baselworld news, we had a second opportunity to peruse and admire the watch —while shooting the cover for the third issue of our print magazine— a couple of months ago and because of that we have some new things we would like to share with you.
After checking out the watch under natural light and not under the bright halogen lamps at the Patek Philippe booth at Baselworld, we think that the dial is even nicer and more of a chameleon that changes its hue based on lighting conditions.
The Dial
While our first impression of the watch was very good, the second time around just made it even better. With its perpetual calendar complication and a very unique combination of sporty and elegant vibes, the 40 mm case in 18K white gold of the Patek Philippe Nautilus Perpetual Calendar ref. 5740/1G-001 is simply perfectly sized and its blue dial absolutely stunning.
Its blue dial is a true chameleon with its raised horizontal embossing and the sunburst blue color that graced the versions released on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Nautilus in 2016. If you compare the next three pictures, you will see what we are talking about. While pictures depict the color of the dial accurately, the hue varies depending on the angle and the lighting conditions. For those of you wondering, the last picture was taken with the watch exposed to full sunlight at noon. Do we have a winner here, yes we do.
While many mention that the dial seems too busy, the layout and configuration of the three subsidiary dials of the perpetual calendar —day of the week and 24-hour dial at 9 o'clock, month and leap year at 3 o'clock, date and moon phases at 6 o'clock— are very well executed and well balanced with a more prominent indication for the moon and the date. The best part is that Patek didn't choose to go with a bigger case size that would've allowed for the subdials to be more spread out on the dial.
The Case
Regardless of the fact that the movement powering this watch features a QP module, the case is extremely svelte at only 8.42 mm in thickness. Therefore, this watch is Patek Philippe's thinnest perpetual calendar. The correctors have also been placed in the least intrusive way around the case with day correction at 9 o'clock, date correction between 11 and 12 o'clock, month correction between 12 and 1 o’clock and moon-phase correction at 6 o'clock. Seamlessly integrated in the Nautilus case design, these are also very well executed. Regardless of the correctors, the watch is water resistant to a depth of 60 meters —of course the correctors should never be pressed or operated while the watch is wet or underwater.
The proportions of the watch are flawless and the watch is very comfortable despite its solid gold case with a total weight of 206 grams —similar weight to an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Jumbo Extra-Thin in gold.
The Bracelet
Slightly thicker and more robust than the bracelet on the Nautilus 5711, the white gold bracelet is finished with alternating polished central links and satin-finished lateral links. To improve wearing comfort, Patek Philippe has introduced a totally new, patented fold-over clasp.
The sturdy and well constructed deployant folding clasp features four independent catches with two Calatrava crosses to optimize opening and closing and to prevent the unintended release of either of the two clasp segments.
The Movement
Powered by the automatic calibre 240 Q composed of 275 parts, this 27-jewel movement provides a power reserve of 48 hours when fully wound while beating at a frequency of 21,600 vph. This automatic movement maintains a thin profile thanks to the use of a recessed 22K gold mini-rotor, despite that it features a perpetual calendar module on top of the base calibre. The architecture of the movement and its delicate finissage are unequivocal attributes of a Patek Philippe movement.
On the Wrist & Pricing
On the wrist, nothing new to say about the watch since our very first interaction with it during Baselworld 2018. The Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5470/1G is pure fire and a watch that wears true to its size. An incredibly long awaited complication for the Nautilus line and a perfect execution by Patek Philippe. Below we've included three wristshots to further elaborate on the fact that the dial is a true chameleon depending on lighting conditions.
Sticker Price $119,070 USD. For more info on Patek Philippe click here.
