Situated at the zenith of watchmaking for well over a century, Patek Philippe has created some of the most historically significant timepieces of all time, and in typical fashion deserving of such praise, their timepieces are functional, excellently made and objectively beautiful, just like the ref. 5170R, of which we have here. Launched in 2010 and first constructed of 18kt rose gold, the rose gold variant, like the one we have here, debuted six years later in 2016. No longer featuring simple applied stick indices like its yellow gold sibling, the ref. 5170R instead boasts Breguet numerals atop its brilliantly executed black dial. Sporting a jet-black dial with simple black lettering in a serif font, the ref. 5170R is immediately luxurious and elegant as it recalls the mid-century chronographs that came before it. Featuring a bi-compax dial arrangement, the ref. 5170R features two recessed subdials for its chronograph function alongside a 60-second scale that encircles the dial and add a further hit of functionality, legibility and symmetry to the ref. 5170R’s thoughtfully executed design. Offered within a polished 18kt rose gold case that falls just below 40mm in diameter at 39.4mm, the ref. 5170R is intensely elegant as it balances modern tastes with an elegant design language. Powered by the manual-wind cal. 29-535 PS that allows the ref. 5170R to stand just 10.9mm tall, while also displaying Patek’s incredible craftsmanship behind its exhibiton caseback, the ref. 5170R is a lesson in watchmaking that only a brand of Patek’s caliber could successfully pull off.

Carefully designed, carefully crafted, and meticulously executed, the ref. 5170 showcases that while modern Patek Philippe might be producing more timepieces than ever before, they certainly are not holding back on creating spectacular timepieces deserving of adulation.