wristwatch Patek Philippe -> Limited Editions -> Column Wheel Chronograph |
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| Brand: Patek Philippe |
| Series: Limited Editions |
| Title : Column Wheel Chronograph |
| Country of origin : Switzerland |
| Type of watch : men`s |
| case material : steel |
| Waterproof : 30 m |
| power reserve : 39 of watches |
| Issued : 16 |
Special Edition / Limited Edition
Hand Works
Chrono
Clock
minute
second hand
Watches
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| The history of the limited edition Patek Philippe Column Wheel Chronograph model's creation looks more like a fairy-tale about a long-lost and then acquired treasure, rather then reality. In 1996 the company's experts were getting ready to move out of the historical “house” of the brand at Rue du Rhône in Geneva and they paid attention to an old wooden chest, that had been standing in oblivion in the far corner of the room at the fifth floor of the building, for many years.When the company's employees opened it, their excitement turned into astonishment: among many other artifacts in one drawer of the chest they also found 16 chronograph movements 13-130, assembled and refined in the far 1955!
Among collectors and high watchmaking art enthusiasts the manually wound caliber 13-130 with a column wheel is considered a true treasure and one of the most importaint milestones in chronograph watches history. The movement is based on a Valijoux ebauche with the diameter of 13 lignes (about 29 mm), refined exclusively for Patek Philippe. The outstanding features of this elegant caliber with exceptional performance include an S-shaped driving arm, unusual escapement and driving wheel bridge and a very extraordinary shape of the chronograph bridge with 3 levers.
The movement was included in the brand's production schedule in 1938 and for over 30 years it was in the heart of the most popular chronographs among collectors and aficionados of the brand's most rare timepieces. Finding these 16 pieces of the legendary caliber, produced in 1955 and their exceptional state was an outstanding event. In order to commemorate this lucky discovery, Patek Philippe has produced the special limited edition series of chronographs, bringing back life to these precious mechanical calibers – the reference 3670A.
In accordance with the spirit of genuine high watchmaking art traditions, the calibers 13-130, found in the old chest were fully disassembled, refined and assembled again by Patek Philippe master watchmakers. Moreover, they were adjusted according to the strict terms of precision, applied to all the brand's watches. Even though they don't fully correspond to the modern mechanical calibers' level of precision, their move's precision level is unheard of for the times of their manufacturing. The company's experts have placed these rare movements into the signature cushion-shaped cases, which were started to be produced in 2010. The company's designers were inspired to create them by the brand's first wrist chronographs, produced in 1920-ies and decorated with the humble “Art Deco” style elements. The rectangular chronograph pushers, also borrowed from the old timepieces, complete the original modern retro style of the new models. The watches are supplied with a sweep seconds hand, an additional seconds subdial at the “9 o'clock” position and a semi-instantaneous 30-minute counter at the “3 o'clock” position. The chronograph's power reserve is 39 hours. The dimensions of the case, made of stainless steel, are 37 x 45 mm. The central part of the dial is anthracite colour, the applied numeric indexes are made of white gold, the central hour and minute hands are made of white gold as well and have grained structure. The chronograph hands and the 30-minute subdial's hand are painted with white coating. The minute scale with numeric indexes, divisible by 5, applied on the dial's perimeter, is executed in the “railway” style. The historical manually wound caliber 13-130 is assembled on 23 jewels, it's working frequency is 18800 half-oscillations per hour (2,5 Hz). The movement is equipped with a Breguet spring and a “Glucydur” balance with additional screws. The men's Patek Philippe Column Wheel Chronograph wrist watch is supplied on a black matte alligator leather strap with grey stitching and a stainless steel buckle. You can buy the watch only at Patek Philippe salons in Geneva.
This model, executed in super limited edition of just 16 pieces, represents an inimitable fusion of the past and the present, this watch will undoubtedly withstand the change of its owners' generations without losing its functional features. |
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