219
Patek Philippe
Ref. 5070P-013
"Saatchi Gallery"
An ultra rare and important platinum chronograph wristwatch with metallic blue dial, certificate of origin and presentation box, made for the 2015 Patek Philippe Watch Art Grand Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London
Full-Cataloguing
- Chronograph with special metallic blue dial
- Made specially for the 2015 Saatchi Gallery exhibition London
- One of 5 believed to be made and the first to come to auction
- Offered as Full Set
In the rarefied universe of Patek Philippe limited editions, there exists an even more clandestine tier: the mythical “out of catalogue” creations, quietly reserved for the manufacture’s most devoted patrons. The present reference 5070 in platinum with its arresting metallic blue sunburst dial sits squarely within this inner circle.
Although production of the ref 5070 officially ceased in 2009, the story did not quite end there. In 2015, on the occasion of the Watch Art Grand Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London, Patek Philippe discreetly extended a remarkable courtesy to a handful of top collectors. Drawing from new-old-stock cases and movements, the brand created highly confidential pieces distinguished by dial and case combinations never offered during the model’s standard run. Never illustrated in catalogues and scarcely acknowledged publicly, these watches represent collecting at its most rarefied.
The present platinum “Saatchi Edition” ref 5070, fitted with its vibrant blue dial, is believed to be one of only five examples ever made, and notably the first to appear at international auction. Its dial differs subtly yet significantly from the standard series: a lighter, more electric shade of blue, non-serif “PATEK PHILIPPE GENEVE” signature, and revised fonts for the scales and numerals—small details that speak volumes to the connoisseur.
When the 5070 was unveiled in 1998, it marked the triumphant return of a non-perpetual calendar chronograph to the Patek Philippe collection after nearly four decades. Powering the model is the revered manual-winding caliber CH 27-70, based on the Lemania 2310 ébauche, celebrated for its architecture, reliability, and elegance. Finished to the exacting standards of the Geneva Seal and offering an impressive 60-hour power reserve, it remains one of the great chronograph movements of the modern era.
Patek Philippe
Swiss | 1839Since its founding in 1839, this famous Geneva-based firm has been surprising its clientele with superbly crafted timepieces fitted with watchmaking's most prestigious complications. Traditional and conservative designs are found across Patek Philippe's watches made throughout their history — the utmost in understated elegance.
Well-known for the Graves Supercomplication — a highly complicated pocket watch that was the world’s most complicated watch for 50 years — this family-owned brand has earned a reputation of excellence around the world. Patek's complicated vintage watches hold the highest number of world records for results achieved at auction compared with any other brand. For collectors, key models include the reference 1518, the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, and its successor, the reference 2499. Other famous models include perpetual calendars such as the ref. 1526, ref. 3448 and 3450, chronographs such as the reference 130, 530 and 1463, as well as reference 1436 and 1563 split seconds chronographs. Patek is also well-known for their classically styled, time-only "Calatrava" dress watches, and the "Nautilus," an iconic luxury sports watch first introduced in 1976 as the reference 3700 that is still in production today.