Yasuharu Abe's Theory of Patek Philippe - Part 7 - Annual Calendar I

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Hello everyone.
The temperature is rising every day, and short sleeves are becoming the norm. It's hard to believe that the rainy season is just around the corner, but it's easy to get sick during the change of seasons, so please be sure to take care of your health.
Well, I would like to talk about Patek Philippe again this time, but did you know that in the Patek Philippe collection, there is a category called Complications? And within that category, there are many watches that have a mechanism called the "Annual Calendar". Today, I would like to focus on the "Annual Calendar".

What is an annual calendar?

If you look up the word "annual" in a dictionary, you will find that it means "once a year." In short, an "annual calendar" is a very convenient and complicated mechanism that automatically displays the date, day of the week, and month name for each day once a year, once adjusted on March 1st, until the end of February the following year.

*Ref.5035

Nowadays, all kinds of brands have annual calendars, but Patek Philippe was the pioneer. The first model, the Ref. 5035, was released in 1996 and achieved the feat of winning the Watch of the Year award that same year.
With a 37mm case size, a screw-down, see-through back cover, and a dial with Roman indexes and leaf hands, this combination is rare for a Patek Philippe design, and with its easy operation and reasonable price, it has attracted a lot of attention from watch enthusiasts.

The Patek Philippe Annual Calendar is a very good watch that combines functionality, design, and practicality for everyday use. It has a sub-dial that displays the month at the 3 o'clock position, a 24-hour display at the 6 o'clock position, and a day of the week display at the 9 o'clock position. There is a window that displays the date below the sub-dial at the 6 o'clock position. It is available in YG (yellow gold), RG (rose gold), and WG (white gold), and we have confirmed several variations of the dial.

And due to the success of the Ref. 5035, the following improved models were released:

"Annual Calendar" models being announced one after another

The first one is "Ref.5036/1J, 1R, 1G"

*Ref.5036/1G

This model, released in 1998, two years after its debut, looks like a bracelet version of the "Ref. 5035," but it features a dial design with a power reserve display at the 12 o'clock position and a moon phase at the 6 o'clock position. Personally, I really like this model, including the design and the size, which is well balanced with the movement.

Next, "Ref.5056P"

*Ref.5056P

In 1999, the "Ref.5056P" was released as a sister model of the "Ref.5036/1J, 1R, 1G" with a platinum case and leather strap, created by the current president Thierry Stern. The dial design is the same as the bracelet model "Ref.5036/1J, 1R, 1G", but the grey stands out. The weight of the platinum case and the diamond at the 6 o'clock position give it a special feel, making it a very impressive model.

Recommended "Annual Calendar" Models

This is based on my personal opinion, but I would especially like to recommend the "Ref. 5146", which was released in 2005 and is the successor to the "Ref. 5035".

*Ref.5146G

The movement has evolved from Cal.315 to Cal.324, and the 24-hour display at 6 o'clock has been changed to a moon phase, and a power reserve display has been placed at 12 o'clock. The index has changed from the previous Roman numerals to a combination of Arabic numerals and bar indexes. The case size has also increased by about 2 mm compared to the above three models, to 39 mm. The leather strap model is available in all materials: YG (yellow gold), RG (rose gold), WG (white gold), and PT (platinum). I think you can see watches with gray dials from other brands, but that's what you'd expect from [Patek Philippe]. Isn't this a model that tickles the masculine heart with its "sophistication and elegance"? By the way, the bracelet model "Ref.5146/1J, 1R, 1G" is also available, and only the WG case has two dials: ivory and gray.

summary

The combination of an easy-to-use mechanism, high visibility, and a design that is typical of Patek Philippe is the true joy of the annual calendar, and I believe it is full of appeal that goes beyond the boundaries of a practical watch.

Although this model has not attracted much attention recently as popularity has shifted towards sports luxury models, it is a model that fully embodies the essence of Patek Philippe, a brand known as the top of the world.

This time, I have talked about some of the models, including some of my personal preferences. Next time, I would like to continue talking about other models of the "Annual Calendar" and limited edition models. Please look forward to it.

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