PATEK PHILIPPE, REF. 5522A-001 PILOT, A RARE STEEL WRISTWATCH MADE FOR THE NEW YORK GRAND EXHIBITION IN A LIMITED EDITION OF 600, RETAILED BY TIFFANY & CO.

In July 2017, Patek Philippe unveiled a 10-day long, public exhibition dedicated to ‘The Art of Watchmaking’, featuring some of the brand’s most important pieces from its history. To accompany and celebrate this event, taking place in New York city, Patek also unveiled a few limited-edition models. One of those models was reference 5522A, a time only pilot’s watch, of which today’s lot is an example.

Although deceptively simple in design, many features make this watch truly remarkable. Although sizeable by Patek’s standards (at 42 mm. in diameter), the watch itself is also incredibly thin and subtle, something achieved by its usage of the famed Caliber 324 S (a movement used in various watches such as the iconic reference 5711 Nautilus). This beautiful movement is visible through the glazed display back, upon which is engraved ‘Patek Philippe New York 2017’, which only serves to emphasize the watch’s rarity and provenance. Only 600 pieces of this model were ever created, exclusively for the US market, which made the watch incredibly hard to source at the time.

Aesthetically speaking, the watch has echoes of a vintage charm, thanks to the brown calfskin strap featuring contrast stitching and a ‘clevis’ style buckle inspired by the belt buckles that pilot’s used to secure their survival kits. The dial is incredibly readable, clean and uncluttered, with bold 18k white gold numerals and the absence of any complication (such as a date window). Today’s lot represents a rare opportunity to own a truly unique watch, one that is versatile enough to be worn on any occasion.