One thing must be acknowledged. In its growth process, it was faster than the Nautilus. After all, if you think about it, nothing so strange since just who is born second generally ends up burning the stages compared to those who preceded him and instead had to conquer certain privileges on the field with patience and sweat. Here is the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph 5968A.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph 5968A review
It comes with steel case, scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating; sapphire crystal case back; waterproof up to 120 meters.
Black dial, in brass, with sun-relief decoration; Arabic numerals and hour markers applied by hand, in white gold, with SuperLuminova coating; hour and minute hands with a stick in white gold with SuperLuminova coating; arrow chronograph seconds hand, in steel, orange lacquered; 60 minute counter stick stick, in brass, orange lacquered.
Mechanical movement with automatic winding of caliber manufacture CH 28-520 C; chronograph with 60-minute counter and date; central rotor in 21 carat gold with unidirectional charge; Gyromax balance wheel; Spiromax spiral in Silinvar; 32 rubies; 30 mm in diameter; 6.63 mm thick (5.2 mm base movement – 1.43 mm chronograph module); 308 components; oscillation frequency 28,800 alternations / hour; minimum power reserve 45 hours / maximum 55 hours.
Blackstrap made of waterproof composite material resistant to ultraviolet rays and wore; embossed Damier motif combined with the dial; folding clasp. Orange colored strap supplied. Dimensions Diameter 42.2 mm; 11.9 mm thick.
DESIGN
The Aquanaut collection presents for the first time a complication so far unpublished for this line: the chronograph. With steel casing, it is on sale at 38, 800 USD.
So the Aquanaut has limited itself over time to play substantially with the size of the box, first 35.6 mm, then 34, 38.8, 29.5, 40.8 on the occasion of the first decade and finally 42.2 in correspondence of the second. Always three hands and date until 2011, the year in which the second time zone appeared — an exception to the rule. Duty concession, occasionally, not to be accused of repeated immobility, repeated this year with the arrival of the chronograph surprisingly, if it is true that an additional function was expected, yes, but for the last year, on the occasion of the anniversary of the model. But it is not received, surrogate if possible from the arrival of the Advanced Research edition and the first ever Aquanaut made with a white gold case. The strap in the composite material is embellished with a relief that resembles that of the dial. The buckle is of a folding type.
Because even if they were predisposed to give the Aquanaut a touch of extra sportiness, regarding layout in Patek Philippe, they preferred to go along a conservative road, providing a single counter (of 60 minutes) and positioning it where the references with dual time zones used to reside the date display. Without upsetting, therefore, a family feeling of recognized approval. The idea of daring with an unusual color palette for the brand is also fun, with the orange of the chronograph hands taken in the additional composite strap, supplied with the model, and taken in the images of this service.
MOVEMENT: CALIBER CH 28-520 C
On a technical level, the Maison has instead entrusted the caliber CH 28-520 C, mechanical movement with automatic winding certified by the Seal Patek Philippe. Chronograph (as the final “C” indicates) with a column wheel, vertical disc coupling, and flyback function. The sensible and technically useful choice on a reference like that of the new Aquanaut Chronograph that does not have the sub-counter of small seconds, since the system, free of wear, always keeping the chronograph mode activated (without affecting the total charge autonomy ) can allow the central hand to be used permanently. Without giving up the immediacy in starting the timing, can be activated instantly with the button at 4 o’clock thanks to the flyback function.
It is a premiere of the Aquanaut collection and is (naturally) a Patek. For better or for worse. In the sense that, very easily, his quotations will soon be destined to rise and the waiting lists to stretch out excessively. If it is considered of interest, lingering could turn out to be a wrong move. For some time now, the more sporty Patek Philippe collection has reached a level of desirability (almost) equal to that of the Nautilus.
