PATEK PHILIPPE. AN 18K GOLD AUTOMATIC PERPETUAL CALENDAR WRISTWATCH WITH SWEEP CENTRE SECONDS, RETROGRADE DATE, MOON PHASES AND LEAP YEAR INDICATION

Introduced in 1998, it was the first serially produced perpetual calendar wristwatch with retrograde date to be made by Patek Philippe. It was also the first model since the legendary reference 2497 and 2438-1 to have a sweep centre seconds on a perpetual calendar watch. The model is distinctive for its ‘officier’ style case with elongated lugs with screwed bars and hinged back and display cuvette. The movement is the automatic caliber 315 with 21K gold rotor, the fascinating retrograde date function is part of the perpetual calendar mechanism whereby at the end of each month the date hand instantly ‘flies’ back to 1.