Produced between 1996 to 2012, the reference 5004 is one of the last examples of a particular lineage of Patek Philippe perpetual calendar chronographs, and is an ambitious attempt at combining a split-seconds chronograph with a perpetual calendar complication. It is believed that out of all the precious metal examples produced, white gold is the rarest, making this a highly sought-after piece by collectors.

Introduced in 1996, the reference 5004 is an evolution of the reference 3970, combining a perpetual calendar complication with a split-seconds chronograph - a rarely seen and ambitious fusion of many complications. The series was discontinued in 2012 after just 15 years of production, and was followed by the reference 5204. Out of all the precious metal examples produced, yellow gold is most commonly seen, followed by rose gold, platinum, and with white gold being the rarest with a further 50 end-of-series watches produced in stainless steel.

Hailing from a long lineage of impressive perpetual calendar chronographs, the reference 5004 has been referred to as the modern 2499, while comparisons have also been drawn with the reference 3970 in terms of case shape and wearability. The dial takes inspiration from the reference 1518, borrowing the same style of Arabic numerals and combining them with a classic tachymeter scale. The layout of the watch is balanced, with sub-dials placed at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock respectively, in addition to leaf shaped hands.

The reference 5004 is powered by the CH27, based off the Lemania 2310 ebauche. According to then-president Philippe Stern, as quoted in Revolution Magazine, it wasn't easy to get this right. "The problem was that the Lemania 2310 or CH 27, was never intended to be a split seconds chronograph. We had two major challenges. The first was the pinion that all the hands – hours, minutes, chronograph seconds and split seconds – had to be made even longer and we were really stretching the limits of what was possible. Even the slightest mistake it was easy to bend this pinion. And second thing was that the CH 27 would experience rattrapante drag each time the split seconds function was activated." This problem was eventually solved by including an isolator, which lifts the rattrapante roller from the heart cam and only connects the two once the split-seconds function is released.

Closer look

Condition

This Patek Philippe Split Seconds Chronograph 5004 is in very good condition throughout. The case and lugs show light superficial marks consistent with relative wear, with some more noticeable very light scratches found on the lower right lug and bezel at 7 o'clock. The lower right lug also has a small ding close to where it meets the case, which also appears across the bevel. The dial, the hands, and movement are free from any imperfection. The hallmarks and engravings are crisp and well defined.

Warranty

The watch received a full service with Patek Philippe through authorised retailer Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons in 2017, where the case was left unpolished. The watch comes with a two-year warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.