Having just entered the new decade a few days ago, for lovers and enthusiasts of the art of watchmaking, the year 2020 marks the 181st anniversary since the birth of the prestigious Swiss company Patek Philippe. An impressive number of years, however, which, according to several admirers, well symbolizes this brand that embodies or represents most in itself the maximum convergence of innovation with quality, to arrive at an absolute end result of artifact: in style, in beauty, in charm and in perennial technological evolution in a great unicum!
We have already told in recent days the story of the family of the first perpetual calendar chronographs ever produced in the world by the Patek Philippe, enjoying good success with the public and critics for describing it almost in a Rossinian crescendo, starting with the progenitor 1518 to 2499, to 3970 finally closing with 5970.
And just on the wave of this consensus and the requests we received from the web and socials for further insights, the board of the Bonanno Jewelry decided to compare two watches that spring from this very noble progenia, trying to compare them: the Patek Philippe 5004 vs. the Patek Philippe 5204.
Let's be clear, however: the purpose is not to determine which of the two is the best but only to highlight what the differences between the two jewelry are, highlighting the quality of watchmaking evolution while helping collectors, simple lovers or enthusiasts in choosing their ideal piece of jewelry.
Reference 5004 is born
After the relative commercial success on the market of the 5020, with its television-like case that so struck the collective imagination but did not arouse the expected clamor, the Patek Philippe decided to revive its extraordinary perpetual calendar chronograph project by launching the reference 5004 on the market in 1996, which would soon become one of the most desired, coveted and beloved watches in the world.
Described by the same Patek Philippe in the official accompanying document the "split-second" chronograph , the Patek Philippe 5004 is characterized first of all by the two chronograph hands that are started and stopped only by the pusher located on the right side of the case above the crown, in the direction of 2 o'clock in the dial. Should one then also wish to measure an intermediate lap time without interrupting the measurement of the total time, this excellent mechanism because of its levels of separation allows this by pressing the added p usher on the crown, called precisely the "fly-back pusher": by pressing it once, the intermediate time hand stops while the others continue to run. By pressing it again, the hand aligns with the other two hands that are moving forward-a real innovation in the mechanism of wrist chronographs, never achieved before, especially in that size!
In addition, as if that were not enough, four new small buttons are placed on the case, three on the top and one on the bottom. These are external quick-reset pushers: the first for the calendar for the day at 10 o'clock; the second for the date, placed between 11 and 12 o'clock; the third for the month, between 12 and 1 o' clock ; and the last, the fourth placed at the bottom of the case, for quick resetting of the moon phase inserted between 6 and 7 o'clock .
All this in a 36.7 mm. case for this Patek Philippe 5004, which is essential to accommodate the Lemania caliber, a case therefore with a greater depth to make room for, among other things, the split-seconds rattrapante mechanism, which is placed above the tried-and-true and precisely efficient Lemania caliber.
What then makes the Patek Philippe 5004 what many enthusiasts in the watchmaking world have long called a specimen so rare and beautiful that it is equated, in terms of its importance and especially the difficulty of its acquisition as to a "Holy Grail" (and as is also the case with a few other watches in the world...), is greatly contributed by its uniqueness: on the vintage market in fact, the number of pieces available is limited, compared to an estimate roughly close to 12 pieces produced per year by the Swiss maison , from '96 to 2014!!!
As if that were not enough, demand for the Patek Philippe 5004 has always exceeded supply, and over the years the (few), numbers available on the open market have gradually dwindled as more hardened and financially well-endowed collectors have gotten their hands on it.
Add to that the prominence in the marketplace of its steel version in recent years (although the Patek Philippe 5004 in platinum stands very close to it), and the fact that it has since been produced in all available fine materials, and this "Holy Grail" wristwatch is as good as done!!!
To support this feeling of uniqueness, according to many industry experts the Patek Philippe 5004 would be the representation, almost the summa of the presidency of Philippe Stern, Henri 's son and almost a mythological figure for how he managed and led the Swiss maison in its prime.
Belonging to the third generation of the family that has held the reins of one of the world's leading watch brands, many believe that Philippe Stern 's greatest success was the Calibre 89, a commemorative pocket watch created in 1989 to celebrate 150 years. But today many agree that the models conceived and produced under his presidency, coincidentally just like the Patek Philippe 5004 (including a state-of-the-art production facility in Plan-les-Ouates Canton Geneva), are really the "Grail Pateks" and that even "Philippe" associated with "Patek" is due to him!!!
Listen to the Bonanno Jewelry, if you ever happen to come across one, buy it right away because its value will go up, it will go up big time! In these photos also you can admire one, an exclusive 5004 on sale from Us, with a black dial thus released by the Swiss maison remembering that there are only 8 pieces world!!!
Let us now look at the absolute technical characteristics of the Movement, directly extrapolated from the original Patek Philippe 5004 certificate:
Caliber: CHR 27-70 Q
Overall diameter: 30 mm.
Overall height: 8.8 mm.
Number of components: 407
Number of rubies: 28
Power reserve: at most between 50 and 60 hours
Balancing: Gyromax
Frequency: 18,000 semi-oscillations per hour (2.5 hertz)
Spring balance: Breguet
Hallmark: Geneva
Dial: chronograph with scale calibrated to fifths of a second; split time; 30-minute counter at 3 o'clock; day of the week and month calendar; leap year hands; moon phase at 6 o'clock; subsidiary hours, minutes and seconds as well as 24-hour time at 9 o'clock.
Chronograph: classic base column construction; start, stop, and restart with the two pushers located to the right of the case in the direction of 2 and 4 o'clock; start and stop of intermediate time via fly-back button on the crown;
Movement: "New Lemania" model exclusive to Patek Philippe.
Here is Reference 5204
It is hard to think that after a watchmaking masterpiece such as precisely the Patek Philippe 5004 could have been done better! Instead...Let's start by saying that the Patek Philippe Reference 5204 was born in 2012 also as a split-seconds counting chronograph (rattrapante), and with perpetual calendar but was soon labeled as "an absolute jewel of a watch"!
The Patek Philippe 5204 is thus the evolution of the species, not a direct emanation of the 5004 but rather the big brother of another extraordinary Reference such as the 5270 (itself defined as another watch belonging to the Patek Grail club), but with the aim even to further refine the design of the Reference 5004, thus creating a masterpiece of modern watchmaking!
We then turn to the description of the 5204 as mentioned earlier, to extol its merits and comparing it with the 5004 to highlight its direct evolution.
The case.
Initially produced only in platinum but later forged also in rose gold like the one currently in the possession of the Bonanno Jewelers, looking immediately at the Patek Philippe 5204, it comes with a 40.2 mm. case as opposed to the 36.7 mm. case of the Reference 5004, with resistance to up to 30 m. of marine depth.
As is easy to guess, the upgrade to a 40.2 mm. case within a tradition-loving house like Patek is nothing less than in keeping with the times but also an obligatory step for such a complicated watch. In fact, according to many connoisseurs in the 5004, one could say, taking the concept to extremes, that the movement is almost compressed into the 36.7 mm. case to such an extent that its quick-action pushers almost seem to pop out of it!!!
Let's say this criticism was softly posed, but it was still a way of highlighting how the 5004 had this slight, less visual appeal. Therefore, the Patek Philippe 5204 solves this aesthetic dilemma by giving the case and the entire watch a more elegant appearance.
The Quadrant.
Let's go to the dial, here where the difference between the two watches is immediately apparent. The novelties trigger in the enthusiast a feeling similar to what Catullus masterfully portrayed in the immortal and beautiful ode addressed to Lesbia, the greatest, most tormented love of his life and titled "Odi et amo," that is, "I hate you and I love you." But why? Simple, because the basic information of a wristwatch is now cleaner and clearer in the dial of the Patek Philippe 5204 but less traditional, therefore moving decisively away from the historical and unmistakable manufacture Patek Philippe!?!?
So the dial of the Patek Philippe 5204 is almost a "break" with the past and is instead very much in line with the styling of the 5270. In fact, in addition to the two windows already mentioned near 12 o'clock (showing the month and day of the week), the minute counter for the 30-minute calibrated chronograph is at 3 o'clock; the date and moonphase register are at 6 o 'clock and the running seconds are at 9 o'clock. Between 4 and 5 o 'clock is the leap year indicator and finally between 7 and 8 o'clock is the day-night window, a must for a manual-winding perpetual calendar.
The Patek Philippe 5204 usually has sword hands and baton hour markers instead of the Arabic numerals and leaf-like hour markers we find on the 5004 but pay attention to a not insignificant detail. The "usually" means that buyers of this jewel have requested custom configurations on the dial directly from the Patek Philippe.
Therefore keep in mind that the above variations are those that have appeared most often on the dials of Patek Philippe 5204s, or at least those that one has had the opportunity to view by experts and enthusiasts, as well as by lucky owners.
The first ones were produced in platinum, but We at the Bonanno Jewelry can proudly display one, highly prized and in rose gold! Yes, the highly sought after Patek Philippe 5204R with its extraordinary sapphire crystal case back that allows you to see the Movement in action without having to open it. Water-resistant to 30 m. depth, in exquisite 18kt. rose gold and 14.3 mm. thick. : an authentic jewel! Its dial is silvered opalescent, with gold applied hour markers with luminescent coating. The dial plate is of course 18kt. gold, and it is therefore astounding how luminescent, attractive, jaw-dropping it is!
But we were saying about the different types of dials. Indeed, this detail, which might seem trivial, nevertheless places particular emphasis on the contrast between the brand's tradition, in wanting to produce grand complications and watches of historical value by following a highly original and proper modus operandi (remember the Holy Grail concept?), and contextually opening up to the demands of its customers, which puts the Patek Philippe in step with the times but in fact radically change its strategy in the marketplace!
So here's the big news that introduces the Patek Philippe 5204 itself: it's the changes in the case and dial we mentioned above (by the way: do you prefer a classic dial with leaf hands and Arabic numerals or the "modern" one we've already described?), but above all the possibility for the customer to request customizations, a whole new appeal with an unusual flavor that traditional fanatics may perhaps even get over the shock of the new windows placed at 5 and 7 o'clock.
On the aesthetic side then, the debate is heated and still ongoing, although the Patek Philippe has decided to no longer customize the dials on future references. If anything, everyone agrees on one issue: with the Patek Philippe 5204 there remains an unparalleled way of placing all the information on the dial in a way that is always clean, clear and legible, with a quality that the competition that has always been very active on this front hardly (if not almost never) manages to surpass, perhaps to equalize but only partially.
Just by looking at things from this perspective, here are the famous windows placed at 5 o 'clock and 7 o 'clock mentioned earlier, appearing as the logical, natural continuation of the proverbial ability of the Patek Philippe to renew itself while always remaining Number One!
The Movement.
The Movement of the Patek Philippe 5204 is probably the biggest change from the Reference 5004. The 5004 Movement was based on a heavily modified Lemania movement, beautiful and impeccably finished but no doubt not so technically revolutionary: a very solid and efficient "used" safe!!!?
In the Patek Philippe 5204, on the other hand, this in-house caliber is left as the base and then the new patented mechanism described earlier of seconds division is added. It is classified as Caliber CHR 29-535 PS Q where CHR 29-535 is the classic hand-wound caliber architecture while the PS Q Movement incorporates a horizontal clutch and two column wheels.
The rotor operates with a Gyromax balance beating at 28,800 bph(4Hz), which is a substantial change from the 18,000 bph of the CHR 27-70 Q in the 5004. Moreover, despite its 182 parts, the perpetual calendar of the Patek Philippe 5204 has a height module of only 1.65 mm. , demonstrating the unparalleled expertise of Patek Philippe in making great complications to ultimately achieve exceptional watches.
Manual winding, with a 65-hour power reserve (long enough to make our Patek Philippe 5204 spend a whole weekend on the nightstand!), can be seen through a very fine sapphire crystal case back! This is the eighth chronograph in the history of the Patek Philippe and is absolutely wonderful as well as full of new patented technology.
We were saying about the innovations of this movement inside the Patek Philippe 5204. The first is the chronograph system. It changes from an "octopus wheel" isolation system for the 5004 to a new "swan neck" isolation system for controlling the split seconds hand. The octopus could only rotate unidirectionally and required a bulkier isolating wheel spring, whereas now in the Patek Philippe 5204 the swan neck (note 1) is very thin and can move quickly in either direction. The result is a split system that is much more reliable, more durable, and easier to repair when needed.
The second innovation in the Patek Philippe 5204 is a mechanism to reduce theoffset between the two chronograph hands. Because the movement of the split seconds hand is linked to the movement of the main chronograph hand, there can sometimes be a slight difference between the two. Instead of covering it with a slightly wider chronograph hand (which many manufacturers do, and which is done for the 5004 ), Patek Philippe he reshaped their cam and roller system to be perfectly accurate. The geometry is relatively complicated, but the idea is simple: more consistent and predictable contact between moving parts achieve more precise interactions.
Finally, there is the strong attraction that in a true enthusiast always excites: the manual winding of this masterpiece. And this factor, absolutely disruptive, a lucky owner will be able to verify by using it to completely realign, for example, a perpetual calendar like this one from the Patek Philippe 5204 but out of phase with the date one wishes to set. The efficiency of the quick reset buttons enhances its functionality and speed of execution, in one word we would say stunning!
Therefore, trying to draw the classic final line while emphasizing that when dealing with "perpetual calendar chronographs" with the production of the Patek Philippe we come very close to theoptimum for collectors and lovers of this spectacular universe, we can say that the Patek Philippe 5204 is very close to being like a very tasty icing on a beautiful cake!
A complete watch then this Patek Philippe 5204, clear to read despite the high level of complication, robust but at the same time light to put on the wrist despite the fact that the 40.2 mm. case may lead to some doubt in this aspect. A watch that is therefore elegant and gives great satisfaction in itself, confirming the reputation that the Patek Philippe for several decades and which also places it in the elite of the art of watchmaking, one of the few grails around the world.
To say that a new reference of Patek Philippe is impressive is sort of redundant in itself. But the 5204 is indeed impressive . It is a new perpetual calendar with chronograph in seconds per Patek, which replaces the 5004 in the lineup and offers several significant improvements. We got our hands on one at Basel 2012 and have all the details.
We will start with the most basic differences. First, Patek chose to increase the case size from 36.7 to even 40mm, in line with the modern trend for larger watches. It is a huge jump, but 40mm is still a more than reasonable size, and it looks pretty good here.
Currently the 5204 is produced in various alloys, while the 5004p has been seen most often with Arabic numerals, the 5204p instead features applied gold baton markers with luminescent fills. The dial itself is 18K opalescent white gold, and the hands are black oxidized gold with Super Luminova inserts. The sub-dials have also been made a little more minimally, with the day/night and leap year indications moving from the sub-dials and becoming small windows.
A brief tour of the new dial: day and month windows at 12 o'clock, 30-minute chronograph register at 3 o'clock (which now jumps instantaneously), leap year window between 4 and 5 o'clock, date and moon phase register at 6 o'clock, day/night window between 7 and 8 o'clock, running seconds register at 9 o'clock, and hour/minute hands and two split seconds hands centered on the dial. The 5204p has a cleaner, more basic look than its older sibling, and readability is surprising for such a complicated watch.
But it's what's under the hood that really makes the difference here (and it's almost a $75,000 difference, anyway). The 5204 is powered by a CHR caliber 29-535 PS Q movement, with a Gyromax balance beating at 28,800 bph (4Hz), which is a substantial change from the 18,000 bph of the CHR 27-70 Q in the 5004. Beyond the beat, the 27-70 Q chronograph was based on Lemania's excellent movement, and then heavily modified internally to Patek, while the 29-535 PS Q is a true built from the highly complicated, in-house movement. Finally, manually wound, it has a 65-hour power reserve and can be seen through the sapphire case back (including solid platinum as well).
