PATEK PHILIPPE JUST CREATED A ONE-OF-A-KIND TITANIUM CHRONOGRPH, AND IT'S HEADING TO AUCTION FOR CHARITY

Patek Philippe has pulled out all the horological stops for its newest charitable timepiece.

The Swiss watchmaker has created a unique take on the flagship perpetual calendar chronograph, Reference 5270, with a rare titanium case and singular green dial. The one-of-a-kind model will lead the Children Action charity auction in November.

A titanium Patek Philippe is a rarity in and of itself. The Genevan outfit seldom uses the notoriously difficult (and expensive) material save for a few one-offs, such as the titanium Patek Philippe Ref. 5033 that pulled in $1.9 million at a Christie’s auction in 2020. In fact, this is the very first time a Ref. 5270 will be cased in titanium.

For this auction, the family-owned brand has embraced the green dial trend and created an original shade for the watch’s face. A far cry from the olive green featured on last year’s Nautilus 5711/1A or this year’s Ref. 5205R, this piece sports a striking, emerald green sunburst dial with Soleil finish. The perpetual calendar displays are harmoniously arranged, with a moon phase complication at 6 o’clock. There’s also a double aperture for the day and the month at 12 o’clock and an analog date at 6 o’clock.

On the flip side, the in-house split-seconds movement, Calibre CH 29-535 PS, can be clearly spotted through a transparent sapphire crystal caseback, alongside an inscription that reads “Children Action 2022.” The timepiece comes with an interchangeable solid titanium caseback, if you prefer to shield the inner workings. It also features a shiny, black alligator leather strap that’s fitted with a titanium fold-over clasp. Apart from that, the timeless design of Ref. 5270 remains unchanged. You can expect the signature concave bezel and two-tier lugs, along with satin-brushed and polished pushers.

The unique chronograph will be auctioned at the biannual Children Action Gala in Geneva on November 7. Proceeds will be used to help improve the lives of impoverished children around the world. Although there’s currently no pre-auction estimate, the watch will likely hammer down for seven figures given the titanium case and exclusive dial. Hey, it’s all in the name of charity.

©️ By RACHEL CORMACK / Robb Report