Famed for the wide range of innovations and complications that they have introduced to the watchmaking industry, Patek Philippe’s pedigree as perhaps the most highly esteemed watchmaker is of no doubt to anyone, particularly their devoted collectors. Amongst their long list of complications lies their patented annual calendar, a half-way house between the simpler complete calendar and the hyper-complicated perpetual calendar. First released in 1996 as the Annual Calendar ref. 5035, this complication was Patek’s acknowledgement that they needed to create an in-between the other two calendar types before one of their competitors produced one. Made of 18kt white gold, this ref. 5035 features a black dial alongside a stepped domed bezel that sits atop its 37mm case. An unrivalled piece of horological engineering at the time of its release, the ref. 5035’s legible dial displays the day, date, month and 24-hour display – a plethora of useful information that makes this timepiece a truly versatile timepiece that is equally functional as it is stunning.

An incredible innovation at the time, the ref. 5035 has grown from its humble beginnings as a half-way house between two other of Patek's offerings and into an icon that marked the beginning of the annual calendars existence as we know it.