Where apparel chronographs are involved, few in today’s era are more distinguished than the Patek Philippe Ref. 5170. The Ref. Since its beginning in 2010, the Ref. 5170 has seen a lot of variations introduced, all of which have been well-received by the watch community. This season, Patek Philippe chronograph 5170g replica watches introduce still another variant to their simple dress chronograph mention: the Ref. 5170P-001. We bring you the details of the newest Ref. 5170 — available in platinum for the very first time — before comparing it to another easy dress chronographs from the manufacturer’s closest competitions.
The case, dial, and hands
The Event of this new Ref. 5170P steps an elegant 39.4 millimeters in diameter and 10.5 mm in thickness. The design of the case is utilitarian, though every surface is polished. The opinion has a generously sloped bezel that can guarantee that it slides beneath a dress cuff or tight sleeve with minimal fuss. Rectangular pushers located at the 4 and 2 o’clock positions allow for comfortable and pleasing actuation of the chronograph functions. These pushers are finished at an easy yet striking manner, brushed on the sides and glistening top for a pleasing contrast.
The 2017 Ref. 5170P includes a mesmerising blue sunburst dial which gradates towards black at the periphery. While normally printed with a chronograph minutes scale or without a pulsometre scale, the dial of this 2017 novelty does away with and chooses for a tachymetre scale for the very first time. Also a first for your reference are the applied baguette-cut diamond hour markers. These special hour markers were seen from the 40th anniversary Nautilus models and we have to confess they are very well-executed on the Ref. 5170P. Plaudits to the team at Patek Philippe chronograph perpetual calendar 5970g replica watches accountable for incorporating diamonds into the design of a timepiece in a manner that is as discreet as it’s tasteful. Another design feature on the dial worth noting are the whitened feuille moments as well as centre moments hands for the chronograph, designed to distinguish them from another hands linked with time-telling and also to increase legibility. Interestingly, the manufacturer had decided to opt for lume-painted, dauphine hour and minute hands in the brand new Ref. 5170P. These hands, together with the gradient dial and tachymetre scale, result in what is really the very sporty and modern Ref. 5170 to date. All these elements combine to form a look that’s unprecedented in the brand’s history of simple dress chronographs.
The motion
The Calibre CH 29-535 PS surfaced with the Ref. 5170 at 2010 to permanently replace the aged Lemania-based Calibre 27-70 PS because the brand’s movement of choice to hand-wound chronographs. The Calibre CH29-535 PS is unique to Patek Philippe chronograph platinum fake watch in that it had been fully in-house and heralded the end of the manufacture’s dependence on Lemania-based chronograph movements. The Ref. 5170 was the very first men’s watch to incorporate this iconic movement, followed with the perpetual calendar chronograph Ref. 5270 in the subsequent calendar year.
Building an in-house chronograph movement with contemporary features and better performance proved to be a long time coming for the manufacturer. The Calibre CH 29-535 PS is a pillar wheel, lateral clutch system and thus provides an aesthetically-pleasing, architectural view through the case back.
As one would anticipate, the finishing on the movement is beautiful with glossy chamfers on all borders, black-polished column wheel cap, Côtes de Genève on the bridges, circular graining on the wheels, along with many other endings applied on components visible or concealed.
Just down a plateau the pricing ladder would be the Vacheron Constantin Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 in platinum, coming in at approximately USD70,000. Like the brand new Ref. 5170P, the Cornes de Vache is a bi-compax dress chronograph. But unlike the Patek, the Vacheron is implemented in vintage-style and retains the old world charm of the opinion that it is predicated on, the beloved Ref. 6087. Since its unveiling in 2015, the Cornes de Vache has received an overwhelmingly positive response, and it’s easy to understand why. The watch with its classic dial design and totally crisp pump pushers elicits a powerful sense of nostalgia. It proceeds on the charm offensive and takes no prisoners with those sensuous cow horn lugs (thus the title of this watch); how it curves and tapers will melt the hearts of cynics. If this is not sufficient, the Calibre 1142 that can be seen in the case back, offers another reason to love the watch. The Calibre 1142 relies on the Lemania Calibre 2310 but juiced up significantly concerning construction, function and finish so as to deserve the Hallmark of Geneva. Like the Calibre CH 29-535 PS, the Calibre 1142 is exceptionally architectural and scenic, though admittedly, we prefer the joys of the prior. In general, we’d say that the Cornes de Vache is a comprehensive package: a modern chronograph with infallible vintage-inspired design. In our eyes, it could be pure insanity not to think about the Historiques Cornes de Vache 1955 over the Ref. 5170P-001, particularly at USD26,000 less, that’s unless the vintage look does not appeal to oneself.
When speaking of luxury, manually-wound chronographs, an individual can’t do without mentioning the title of A. Lange & Söhne. In 1999, when high-end, in-house chronographs were almost non-existent, a plucky young brand turned the world of watchmaking upside down by introducing precisely that: a high-end, in-house chronograph. You know the way the story goes — that brand was A. Lange & Söhne, which watch, the mighty Datograph. The Calibre L951.1 which compels the Datograph wasn’t just an elaborately constructed and finished column wheel/lateral clutch chronograph movement, it also featured a flyback function and an outsize date screen. The movement was so radical that even now, it remains the standard by which high-end, manually-wound chronograph calibres are in contrast to. Ironically, it’d be somewhat unfair to pit the Ref. 5170P contrary to the Datograph which has a few added functions built in (though believe it or not, the Datograph is far less expensive than the Patek novelty). Instead, it would be fairer to compare Patek’s flagship easy chronograph into the Datograph’s little brother, the 1815 Chronograph.
The Calibre L951.1 stays a watch enthusiast favourite with its celestial architecture and aesthetics. Since the 1815 Chronograph employs the exact same chronograph mechanism since the Datograph, the view of both case backs are indistinguishable.
The 1815 Chronograph is essentially the Datograph stripped of all non-chronograph complications. From a dial design perspective, the 1815 Chronograph brings inspiration from older Lange pocket watches with its inky Arabic numerals and railroad minute scale. From the instance back, the motion of this 1815 Chronograph looks exactly the same as the Datograph’s. And that view never gets older — sprawling levers, wheels and bridges, all thoroughly finished, one by one. It may not be as impressive as the Calibre CH 29-535 PS in terms of efficiency but when it comes to aesthetics, the CalibreL951.5 that beats inside the 1815 Chronograph is the undisputed champion. Oh and let’s not forget that the 1815 Chronograph also has a flyback function. The best part isthe watch is priced at around the USD50,000 mark, almost half of the Ref. 5170P-001’s ransom! Sure, you could assert that the 1815 Chronographs only arrive in gold and that the Ref. 5170P is crafted in platinum and decorated with diamonds, but that still does not warrant a USD46,000 premium! Unless one highly values the background and heritage, as well as the dial layout of the Ref. 5170P, an individual has to look first towards the 1815 Chronograph since it boasts one of the finest moves ever made and a flyback function at almost 50 percent of the purchase price of the watch .
Concluding thoughts
The Ref. 5170P-001 might not offer you the best value for money but that does not eliminate the simple fact that it is a good-looking timepiece. Its resplendent platinum instance, blue-black gradient dial and diamond hour markers bring about a look that isn’t just sleek, but also opulent. Some state this can be Patek Philippe chronograph rose gold clone providing the Ref. 5170 a closing (decadent) hurrah before it is succeeded by a new version line. All we know isthe Ref. 5170P-001 has captured our attention and we enjoy it.
