The All-New Patek Philippe 'Advanced Research' Minute Repeater Ref. 5750 Watch
Yes, I know, and I apologize, but it’s another Patek Philippe article this week. There’s no doubt the brand has dominated the headlines for going on two weeks now, and to be fair, it’s easy to see why. Yesterday, on the heals if of a historic auction of an all new Tiffany & Co. stamped Nautilus, Patek has released an all new Minute Repeater. The ‘Advanced Research’ 5750 Minute Repeater is not only a significant departure from the brand’s typical offerings, with an even less-typical digital media kit to present it.
THE BASICS:
Brand: Patek Philippe
Model: 'Advanced Research' 5750 Minute Repeater Watch
Case Material: Platinum
Case Size: 40mm x 11.1mm
Water Resistance: Unspecified, but likely 30m
Movement: In-House Patek Phillippe Calibre R27PS
Movement Specs: Automatic, Minute Repeater, ‘fortissimo’ “ff” sound amplification, 21,600 VpH, 43 Hours Power Reserve
Strap Options: Brown Alligator Leather Strap
THE JUICE:
There’s nothing new about Patek Philippe’s “Advanced Research” initiative. It was founded over 15-years ago with the ultimate goal of progressing the underlying technologies in watch making. They’ve been accredited with things like the Spiromax Balance Spring for instance, amongst other advancements like silicone. With the 5750 Minute Repeater Patek utilizes a new technology they’re calling ‘fortissimo “ff”’.
The goal of this new technology is longer, clearer, and louder amplification. So what is it exactly? Well… It’s a little complicated actually.
Essentially, Patek has patented a module on top of it’s existing R27 caliber. The module consists of a round sapphire paper that oscillates like a sort of speaker. This disk, for a lack of a better term, is fastened with a tuning fork of sorts that reverberates the sound from the gongs along the disc as they’re struck. The idea is that the air trapped between the vibration and the disk amplifies the sound way louder than a traditional Minute Repeater - which mostly uses the gongs and the case to make noise.
A pretty cool technology if I do say so myself. I’d be interested to see what kind of tests pop up after people get their hands on this watch.
The dial is nothing short of beautiful. The brand says that the open-worked dial is reminiscent of the old-fashioned spokes of vintage cars. I can see it, however the dial feels way more textured and clean. In fact, I think this is one of the nicer looking Patek Advanced Research models I can remember seeing of late.
The model is 40mm, and a remarkable 11mm thin considering the module included. if I recall, this lines up with some of the other brands Minute Repeaters on offer. The rounded case with elongated lugs give attention to the center of the dial, which is really the showcase as far as finshing until you flip the watch over.
Overall, I think this is a solid offering for the brand. With some solid advances in research (no pun intended) I’ll be interested to see how this model holds up in the future, even though the likelihood of me ever seeing this watch in person is quite low.
How much is the Patek Philippe 'Advanced Research' 5750 Minute Repeater Watch?
The watch will be limited to 15 pieces, and come with a price tag of $610,000 USD. You can read more about the watch on the brands website at patek.com