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 halfway 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. 5038 that we have here was launched in 1997 as a limited edition collection of 500 pieces that sold out rather rapidly. Hosting two distinctive differences from its sibling, the ref. 5035, the ref. 5038 sports a beaded hobnail textured bezel that surrounds its entire 37mm case, and a black dial that boasts white painted Roman numerals and a unique white handset that also differs from the ref. 5035’s applied Roman indices and luminous hands. An unrivalled piece of horological engineering at the time of its release, the ref. 5038’s legible black 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 and rare.