Patek Philippe Puts Its Minute Repeater Movement and Tourbillon on Display For the First Time Ever

Patek Philippe is not a brand known for showing off The family-run company recently decided to flex a bit in Singapore, unveiling a minute repeater model that displays its mechanism on the dial-a first in the brand's 180-year history Introduced at Patek's fourth-and largest-Watch Art Grand Exhibition, which began in Dubai in 2012 and has been held every two years in a different city since 2013, the new Reference 5303 Minute Repeater Tourbillon uses the same base movement for the repeater as references 5104, 5204 and 5304.

While such showmanship is surprising from one of the world's most reserved luxury watchmakers, Patek Philippe president Thierry Stern suggests we haven't seen the last of it The brand veered further into exhibitionist territory with the 5303, making the underside of the tourbillon cage visible through an aperture at six o'clock-another Patek first- plus anti-reflective sapphire- crystal glass to protect against UV rays that can degrade the tourbillon's lubricants Despite Stern's proclamation that the movement design is slated for future use, those who have already grabbed theirs can remain assured of its rarity: Rabat says few tourbillons will be made at Patek Philippe going forward.

"However, we will use the silicon hairspring more and more, instead of the tourbillon, because it's precise, reliable and thin." So while the new minute repeater design may be front-and-center news out of Singapore, for some lucky collectors the partially visible tourbillon might not just be another first, but a very significant last. . Source