Established by Patek Philippe in 2005, the Advanced Research department strives to innovate technological advancements in the field of horology with the implementation of new patents utilizing new materials and micro-engineering elements. In the same year of establishment, Patek Philippe launched their very first timepiece developed with the Advanced Research department via the ref. 5250 Annual Calendar limited to 100 pieces featuring a newly patented Silinvar escape wheel. With a mass that is two-thirds less than of a conventional escape wheel, the Silinvar escape wheel requires less energy to accelerate, allowing more energy for timekeeping operations.

In the following year, Patek Philippe and the Advanced Research Department introduced a new ref. 5350 Annual Calendar limited to 300 pieces featuring the same Silinvar Escape Wheel with a newly patented balance spring composed of Silinvar. The new balance spring allowed for better precision for timekeeping with lower mass, reduced sensitivity to gravity and shock and also flatter than the Breguet overcoil.

Fast forward another three years to 2008, Patek Philippe launched the ref. 5450 Annual Calendar limited to 300 pieces in platinum with an attractive “salmon” dial, featuring again a Gyromax balance with Spiromax hairspring and a newly developed Pulsomax escapement with also an updated silicon escape wheel and pallet lever. This was also the last annual calendar Advanced Research reference in the lineup as the next Advanced Research ref. 5550 was equipped with a perpetual calendar.