The fine art of a luxury craft

The word “luxury” has come to carry different meanings, depending on individual worldviews and lived experiences. In the context of fashion and watchmaking, however, recent news reports have highlighted how the term is open to abuse. Like “sustainability”, “luxury” is frequently misappropriated, serving marketing agendas that equate it with mass-produced goods advertised as being exclusive.

Historically, the luxury industry has been rooted in exceptional craftsmanship, rarity, and timelessness — values that emphasise making things better to last longer. This is a culture that embodies the idea of an experience or object transcending mere utility. Unfortunately, in the hands of multinationals, this is not always the case.

Driven by passion, an obsession with detail and, of course, significant investment, new luxury watch brands have successfully entered the market in recent years, proving that provenance alone is no longer sufficient. While the space remains relatively exclusive, it has become democratised. However, accessibility can still mean luxury in the right hands, even when “accessible” means being priced above what most can afford.

Patek Philippe, the independent, family-owned manufacture, is considered to be at the pinnacle of the luxury pyramid, consistently creating some of the most complicated timepieces to the highest standards for 185 years. Patek’s world-first wristwatch complications, such as its world-timers and self-winding perpetual calendars (QPs), are often very rare and always highly prized. Among these world-firsts is the surprisingly “millennial” Annual Calendar reference 5035, brought to market in the wake of the 1996 quartz crisis to cater to more price-sensitive Patek consumers — the 5035 was nearly 40% cheaper than the 3940 QP.

While reportedly well-received, the 37mm 5035 may not have been Patek’s cleanest dial design, featuring a somewhat clumsy trio of sub dials displaying day and month above the centre point, and a smaller 24-hour display positioned above a date window at six o’clock. However, the Annual Calendar is a user-friendly daily wearer and less costly to service. It also brings many of the aesthetic qualities of a QP to a watch but is much less complicated, as it does not require the intricate gear train of a high complication.

The 5035 was momentarily replaced in 2005 by the more refined 5146, but our featured white-gold reference 5396G takes its inspiration from the alluring Annual Calendar reference 5396, the first in a Calatrava case launched in 2006. Its elegant design features day-month windows positioned just below the logo, complemented by a moon phase set inside a 24-hour indicator just above a date window at 6 o’clock. Four correction push pieces for day, date, month, and moon phase are inset on either side of its case.

Eight years have passed since the last update at the time of the complication’s 20th anniversary. For its 28th year, the 38.5mm reference 5396G receives a makeover featuring a sunburst blue dial with a black-gradient rim and baguette-cut-diamond hour markers. By eliminating the rockers and levers used in QPs, engineers created an architecture of wheels and pinions in the original 324 S QA LU 24H calibre, which automatically corrected months with 30 and 31 days.

As with that original calibre, the new calibre 26330 S QA LU 24, if worn daily, only requires manual adjustment once a year, on 1 March. Its moon phase is also highly accurate, deviating from the true lunar cycle by only one day every 122 years. At around R1.15-million, it’s about as accessible as affordable housing in South Africa, but perhaps a justifiable investment when considering the intergenerational value and long-term collectability of Patek timepieces, even in a declining market. Visit patek.com or call GMT International 011 784 2595