The amount of meticulous detail and genius craftsmanship and microscopic precision that goes into one of these Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime 5175R is ridiculous. Just watching the little pieces fit together is like seeing the most beautiful puzzle ever get completed. It better be, since the watch costs $US2.5 million.
Patek just released the details on what they’re calling, the “most complicated wristwatch of the eminent family-owned watchmaking companies and decidedly one of the world’s most elaborate wristwatches.” Which, OK, cool. The Grandmaster Chime was made to celebrate Patek’s 175th anniversary. The watch is double faced (time face on one side, date face on the flip side) and packs as much watch speak as books about horology and expensive retail space do. Patek:
Its double-face case with a diameter of 47 mm, it accommodates four spring barrels and no fewer than 20 complications, including coveted functions such as a Grande and Petite Sonnerie, a minute repeater, an instantaneous perpetual calendar with a four-digit year display, a second time zone, and two patented global debuts in the domain of chiming watches: an acoustic alarm that strikes the alarm time and a date repeater that sounds the date on demand.
The watch’s movement has 1366 parts and the 18K rose gold case is hand graved. The watch is totally and unapologetically ostentatious but it’s sure as hell fun to see it get made. Watch the process below.
