Patek Philippe indisputable reputation as one of the foremost - if not the foremost - manufacturer of high-end haute horologerie timepieces is substantiated by its remarkable track record. The company created the most complicated pocket timepiece in the world in 1933 (the Graves Supercomplication), a watch which held its title for about half a century, before being dethroned by another Patek Philippe creation: the 1989 Caliber 89.

In 2001, Patek Philippe applied this remarkable know-how to a wrist timepiece, releasing reference 5002 “Sky&Moon”. Previously, the most complicated wristwatch made by Patek Philippe was reference 5016, incorporating tourbillon, minute repeater, moonphases and retrograde perpetual calendar. While this was an enormously complex timepiece, it still remained in the realm of “normal” high-end horology, both for the set of complications and for the case design. Reference 5002 was instead in a class of its own. Inspired by the pocket timepiece Star Caliber 2000, Patek Philippe miniaturised the model into a wristwatch that features a double dial with cathedral gong minute repeating mechanism and tourbillon. The front facing side displayed the time along with the perpetual calendar with retrograde date and age of the moon. The reverse with celestial chart including horizon ellipse, meridian passage of Sirius, age and angular motion of the moon and sidereal time. A new addition was the cathedral minute repeating mechanism. Developed by Patek Philippe using a new steel alloy for extended gongs, the repeat was longer and more harmonious.

While any Sky & Moon Tourbillon, disregarding case material or dial layout, is an absolute masterpiece and the stuff horological dreams are made of, the present example unarguably surpasses in looks and collectability its peers, as it features a special request, never-before-seen dial. While what is normally found on platinum 5002 is a white or black dial with applied Roman numerals, the present piece features a so-far unique configuration with red painted Roman numerals. Accurate research failed to identify a similar example, the closest iteration being a platinum specimen featuring red date but maintaining the applied numerals. Another example of similarly styled dial comes from a specimen of reference 5016 featuring red graphics, but again maintaining the applied hour markers.

Patek Philippe is known to accept special commissions in case of exceptionally distinguished clients. Considered the scarcity such special examples are realised with, it is a very educated guess that the present watch is indeed a unique piece, making this a virtually unrepeatable occasion for the avid collector to not only own one of the most complicated creations of the brand, but furthermore to own a unique configuration of this pinnacle of mechanical proficiency.