Patek Philippe

The Ref. 5070 design was developed in homage to the unique, historical, oversized 46mm reference 2512 split-chronograph manufactured in 1950, now exhibited in the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva. The 5070 dial design reproduces the hallmarks of the split-chronograph reference 2512 dial with almost absolute meticulousness, including a tachymeter scale with an unusually high limit of 950 km/h. Moreover, for the first 5070 version with a yellow gold case, the black dial colour of the 2512 was chosen. The diameter of the reference 5070 case was 42mm – a very large size for the brand’s collection in 1998, although it was much smaller than the 46mm case of the prototype reference 2512. The unique character of the watch was also given by the wide stepped bezel, which eliminated the contradiction between the large case and the relatively close location of the counters. The dial is classically understated in the spirit of the golden era of art deco, the 1930s. The inclusion of a tachymeter scale and railway-styled minute track perfectly fits the image and the epoch.

Patek Philippe launched reference 5070 production in 1998 and it lasted until 2010. The entire annual production is believed to have been around 250 pieces – mainly due to its labour-intensive finishing and caliber assembly. The 5070 was issued in four main versions – the yellow-gold 5070J-001 with black dial (1998–2004), white-gold 5070G-001 with silvered dial (2001–2008; the present example), rose-gold 5070R-001 with silvered dial (2001–2008), and platinum 5070P-001 with sunburst blue dial (2008–2010). Ref. 5071G-001 in white gold with baguette diamond-set bezel, black dial and diamond-set hour markers, was made in a very small quantity. The remaining inventory of the Poinçon de Genève-hallmarked caliber CH 27-70 was used in 2015 for four special ‘relaunch’ limited editions (5 pieces each), issued for the occasion of the Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition at the Saatchi gallery in London: 5070G-014 in white gold with salmon dial; 5070J-012 in yellow gold with sunburst brown dial; 5070R-014 in rose gold with black dial; and 5070P-013 in platinum with sunburst navy-blue dial (darker than on the regular 5070P-001). Overall, reference 5070 is perceived as well balanced, while the many pleasing details that complement the caliber’s highest level of design and workmanship ensure the watch has a very high degree of perceived value. Now this watch is certainly one of the most desirable acquisitions for a discerning collector and connoisseur.