Arms-On: Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time Watch Reference 5224R-001

Subsequent to this point shows and chronographs, an extra time zone is arguably one of the crucial helpful options {that a} watch can have. That stated, there are various other ways of reaching the identical core performance, and relying in your life-style and the way you intend on utilizing your watch, every technique comes with its personal checklist of professionals and cons. Whereas nearly all of choices go for a standard four-handed GMT structure, Patek Philippe tends to favor the journey time strategy, the place there are two completely different hour fingers working on the identical hours scale, relatively than having one 12-hour hand paired with a 24-hour hand devoted to the reference time. Traditionally, Patek Philippe has opted for 2 12-hour fingers with a day/evening indicator to realize this performance; nonetheless, as a part of its new releases launched this yr at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023, Patek Philippe has reimagined this traditional format. That includes a rose-gold case and a blue dial, the brand new Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time ref. 5224R-001 opts for a 24-hour format with the intention to eradicate the necessity for a day/evening indicator, and it additionally incorporates a redesigned motion that provides real journey time performance with out requiring any further buttons or push-pieces on the aspect of the case.

Impressed by that of the Calatrava Weekly Calendar Reference 5212A-001 from 2019, the case of the brand new Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time reference 5224R-001 options curved stepped lugs, and it measures 42mm in diameter by 9.85mm-thick. Nevertheless, when you think about the best way that the domed sapphire crystal sticks up above the sting of the bezel, the whole thickness for the watch is available in at 10.2mm. A clean polished bezel surrounds the entrance crystal, whereas the reverse aspect of the watch is accomplished by a sapphire show caseback. Except for the signed winding crown on the 3 o’clock location, the case doesn’t have any further pushers, crown guards, or buttons, which implies that the brand new reference 5224R-001 affords a traditional spherical profile, similar to you anticipate from a standard Patek Philippe Calatrava. Water resistance for the ref. 5224R-001 is available in at a reasonably normal 30 meters to guard in opposition to incidental contact, whereas the lugs are fitted with a navy blue calfskin strap that incorporates a nubuck end, cream-colored contrasting stitching, and an identical pin buckle in 18k rose gold.

Whereas the brand new Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time 5224R-001 is hardly a thick watch, its dial accounts for almost all of its 42mm case measurement, which means that it wears barely bigger than one thing like a dive watch that has comparable on-paper dimensions. Even nonetheless, Jake was the one who took these pictures throughout our assembly with Patek Philippe, and his wrist is simply barely bigger than mine, so whereas the ref. 5224R-001 would possibly initially appear a bit massive in comparison with conventional Calatrava fashions, it nonetheless isn’t an outsized watch, and it in the end seems completely applicable on a reasonably huge assortment of various wrists. When it comes to its case form and total design, the brand new Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey ref. 5224R-001 is a reasonably simple and conventional watch. Nevertheless, the true noteworthy options of this explicit mannequin are its distinctive 24-hour dial and mechanical micro-rotor motion, and neither of them is sort of like anything that exists inside Patek Philippe’s present catalog.

The dial fitted to the brand new Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time ref. 5224R-001 is navy blue in shade and it incorporates a delicate combination of contrasting floor finishes. The middle part receives round striations, the ring containing the hour markers showcases a round satin end, and the small-seconds register at 6 o’clock is snailed and outlined in rose gold. The operating seconds are represented by a small white hand throughout the register, whereas each time zones are displayed by a trio of centrally-mounted, syringe-shaped fingers which can be additionally crafted from 18k rose gold. Nevertheless, relatively than having the 2 hour fingers point out the time in a 12-hour format with a day/evening indicator to assist differentiate between AM and PM hours, the brand new reference 5224R-001 incorporates a 24-hour dial, the place each of the hour fingers solely make one full rotation every day.

Patek Philippe has used 24-hour shows previously (most notably on its Gondolo pocket watches from the early twentieth century), though the brand new Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time ref. 5224R-001 affords a slight replace to the traditional 24-hour dial structure. Moderately than having midday seem on the 6 o’clock location like on most 24-hour dials, the dimensions has been inverted, in order that midday resides at its standard place on the highest of the show, and this has particularly been executed to assist improve legibility in the course of the hours when persons are almost certainly to be awake. The hour markers seem as utilized 18k rose gold Arabic numerals which can be full of white luminous materials, and whereas the hand for the secondary time zone is skeletonized, the opposite two are full of luminous materials for added visibility in the dead of night.

Powering the Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time ref. 5224R-001 is the brand new Caliber 31-260 PS FUS 24H automated motion, which represents an evolution of the model’s traditional journey time idea that has been refined and tailored to supply a 24-hour structure. Working at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with an influence reserve of roughly 48 hours, the 44-jewel Cal. 31-260 PS FUS 24H options Patek Philippe’s Spiromax hairspring produced from Silinvar (silicon), together with a micro-rotor design with its oscillation weight crafted from stable platinum. Using platinum for the rotor is because of the truth that it’s heavier than gold and subsequently will increase the winding effectivity of the motion. Moreover, the Patek Philippe Cal. 31-260 PS FUS 24H additionally incorporates a discount wheel that uncouples the self-winding mechanism every time the watch is being manually wound with the intention to cut back put on to the interior parts.

Whereas the motion itself is definitely spectacular and fantastically completed, arguably probably the most attention-grabbing element about this new caliber is that it affords the identical core performance as Patek Philippe’s different journey time actions, but the whole lot can now be adjusted immediately by way of the winding crown. Moderately than having a pair of buttons positioned on the 9 o’clock aspect of the case (just like the Nautilus and Aquanaut Journey Time fashions), rotating the crown within the intermediate place on the Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time ref. 5224R-001 lets you leap the native hour hand both ahead or backward in one-hour increments. Though I personally benefit from the twin button technique used for the Nautilus and Aquanaut Journey Time fashions, it’s plain that including a set of buttons would have altered the profile of the ref. 5224R-001’s spherical and chic case, and by having all entry to the motion carried out by the winding crown, the brand new ref. 5224R-001 is ready to provide equivalent performance whereas nonetheless feeling like a real Calatrava.

No matter whether or not you ceaselessly journey or simply need to maintain observe of the time in a special location, having a secondary time zone show might be an extremely sensible characteristic, and the brand new Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time ref. 5224R-001 affords a novel strategy to offering this core performance, however with a completely extra elegant show. With an official retail worth of $57,366 USD, the brand new Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time ref. 5224R-001 is undeniably a reasonably costly timepiece. Nevertheless, given the steep premiums that Nautilus and Aquanaut Journey Time fashions already command on the secondary market, will probably be attention-grabbing to see if the brand new Calatrava 24-Hour Show version will expertise the identical overwhelming demand as its Journey Time sports activities watch siblings. For extra info, on the brand new Patek Philippe Calatrava 24-Hour Show Journey Time ref. 5224R-001, please go to the model’s web site.