Patek Philippe’s reference 5970 was released in 2004 as the direct successor of the reference 3970 – all descendants of the firm’s beloved reference 1518. Some 18-years after the introduction of reference 3970, Patek Philippe made an unprecedented move with the introduction of the reference 5970 - harmonizing the need for a modern style while staying true to their classic roots. The new reference introduced a much larger case, which was in fact 4mm larger than its predecessor. This change in and of itself was very well received amongst the collector community thanks to its superbly balanced proportions that make it very comfortable to wear. Like its predecessors, the reference 5970 also housed a heavily modified Lemania-based caliber similar to the reference 3970. However, the 5970 incorporated square pushers as opposed to round – a feature that was last seen on a perpetual calendar chronograph by Patek Philippe on the first series examples of the iconic reference 2499 made during the 1950s. Reference 5970 was only in production for seven years until Patek Philippe released the reference 5270 housing its own, in-house perpetual calendar chronograph movement. The reference 5970 has since continued to grow in popularity amongst the collector community, and is highly sought-after today. Produced in yellow, pink, and white gold, and in platinum, yellow gold 5970Js such as the present lot had the shortest production run and are therefore the rarest of all metals produced.
The present watch is offered for the first time at auction and remains in pristine condition. Accompanied by the original presentation box and Certificate of Origin, as well as the second caseback and pin pusher, it’s a superb example for collectors seeking completeness. This watch offers everything someone would want in a Patek Philippe including high-quality craftsmanship both in aesthetics and mechanics, as well as wearability and exclusivity.