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The “Sky Moon Tourbillon” Ref. 5002 by Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe
March 2001
The rarest complications united in a wristwatch
On October 5, 2000, Patek Philippe unveiled the Star Caliber 2000, one of the most
complicated pocket watches of all times. Barely six months later, the Geneva workshops are
introducing a new Grand Complication – now in a wristwatch format. The “Sky Moon
Tourbillon” Ref. 5002 is the most complicated wristwatch ever built by Patek Philippe, and it is
the first double-faced wristwatch that features a complete presentation of the nocturnal sky on
its reverse side. The new masterpiece displays the apparent movements of the stars, the orbit
of the moon, the moon phases, as well as the hours and minutes in sidereal time.
A symphony of the most beautiful complications
As was already the case with the Star Caliber 2000, Patek Philippe’s goal in the development
of the “Sky Moon Tourbillon” was not so much the number of complications per se. The real
objective was to accommodate the most fascinating complications in the small case of a
wristwatch: a perpetual calendar with a retrograde date display, a minute repeater, a tourbillon,
the display of sidereal time, and a depiction of the nocturnal sky with the motion of the stars,
the orbit of the moon, and the moon phases. This turned out to be a formidable challenge
because a chart of the heavenly canopy (as seen in the northern or southern hemisphere)
requires a certain minimum space to demonstrate the movements of the stars in a sensible and
clearly legible manner. The solution adopted by Patek Philippe was borrowed from the
astronomical pocket watches made by the company: a moving sky chart on the reverse side of
the timepiece. The mechanical module developed by Patek Philippe for the “Star Caliber 2000”
was redesigned especially for the “Sky Moon Tourbillon” and was granted Swiss patent CH 688
171 B5.
A minute repeater heralds the third millennium
The acoustic indication of hours, quarter-hours, and minutes is and undoubtedly remains one
of the most spectacular functions that a wristwatch can possess. When the slide on the left of
the case is activated, the repeater first strikes the number of hours on a low-tone gong,
followed by the quarter-hours with double strikes on the low-tone and a higher-tone gong, and
finally by the number of minutes which have elapsed since the last quarter-hour on the highertone
gong. In the “Sky Moon Tourbillon”, this chime is implemented in a rare and fascinating
manner. In the comparatively small volume of a wristwatch, it is extremely difficult to generate a
clear and rich-sounding tone. A few years ago, after intensive collaboration with metallurgists of
the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Patek Philippe succeeded in
developing an alloy for gongs that create a particularly resonant sound. In the meantime, this
alloy has been refined, making it possible to produce a special gong that can be more than one
case circumference long. It is called “cathedral gong” because it renders the hour strike with a
rich, full-bodied tone that like the bells in a cathedral reverberates for a particularly long period
of time.
The tourbillon defies gravity
Every mechanical watch with a balance wheel has a so-called positional error when held
vertically, because the center of gravity of the balance spring is then outside of its axis of
rotation. This error can be compensated with a tourbillon, a rotating carriage which
incorporates the escapement, balance wheel, and balance spring, and as a rule turns about its
own axis once per minute. Due to this rotary motion, the center of gravity of the balance spring
also rotates about the balance axis once per minute and thus automatically compensates the
positional error. In the Ref. 5002, the tourbillon, the balance wheel, and the fourth wheel are
located on one axis. This configuration is particularly difficult to implement, but it best exploits
the principle of the tourbillon. The tourbillon in the Ref. 5002 is quite amazing: Crafted from
steel, the tiny mechanism is composed of no less than 69 individual parts, yet it weighs a scant
0.3 grams – this suggests how microscopically small and filigreed the individual components
must be.
The perpetual calendar with a retrograde date
The perpetual calendars of Patek Philippe are legendary. This also applies to the “Sky Moon
Tourbillon”, whose perpetual calendar has been refined with a date display that has an
automatic flyback hand (retrograde date). It displays the date on a 270° arc on the dial. Every
day, the date hand moves forward by one position and after the end of the month (the 28th,
29th, 30th, or 31st day) automatically jumps back to the beginning of the month scale. As
opposed to conventional solutions with cams, this retrograde date is based on a patented
ratchet wheel mechanism that features an extremely high degree of hand positioning accuracy.
At the moment when the date hand leaps from the end to the beginning of the scale, the
mechanism prevents it from inadvertently rebounding to the second or third day marker. Thus,
when a new monthly cycle begins, the hand is instantly stopped and reliably retained at the
position of the first day.
The remaining displays of the perpetual calendar are indicated with four subsidiary dials: the
days of the week at 9 o’clock, the leap year cycle at 12 o’clock, the month at 3 o’clock, and the
moon age at 6 o’clock. All displays are perfectly harmonized and need not be corrected until
the year 2100 provided the watch is regularly wound.
Heavenly complications on the reverse side
A very unusual feature for a wristwatch can be seen on the reverse side of the “Sky Moon
Tourbillon”. The canopy of the northern (or on request of the southern) hemisphere rotates
counterclockwise under the sapphire crystal caseback, showing the motions of the stars and
the moon, the meridian passages of Sirius and the moon as well as the waxing and waning
moon phases. Additionally, two hands from the center indicate sidereal time on a 24-hour
scale. An elliptical contour indicates the portion of the nocturnal sky which can be viewed from
a specific location. The breathtaking presentation conceals a module with a patented gear train
never before built in this manner.
With its celestial mechanism for the “Sky Moon Tourbillon,” Patek Philippe has succeeded in
achieving an unprecedented degree of precision in the display of astronomical indications.
A lunar day is defined as the period of time which elapses between two consecutive passages
of the moon across a certain meridian. On average, it is 24 hours, 50 minutes, and 28.328
seconds long. A lunation (the period between two consecutive full moons) lasts an average of
29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 2.82 seconds. A sidereal day is defined as the period of
time between two consecutive passages of a fixed star (Sirius, for example) across a certain
meridian. Its duration averages 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4.09892 seconds in units of mean
solar time. The geographical longitude of a specific location can be calculated with sidereal
time.
For the respective displays, these deviations from mean solar time require appropriate
transmission ratios in the gear train that delivers the force from the barrel to the individual
astronomical displays. Some of these ratios favor the accuracy of the moon phase display
versus the sidereal day, others the accuracy of the sidereal day versus the motion of the moon,
etc. Overall, more than 25 trillion possibilities of varying the reciprocal transmission ratios in the
gear train were computed. From this staggering number, Patek Philippe has found the optimum
variation that achieves the smallest possible error for all displays. The result of the theoretical
calculations has surpassed all expectations:
• For a lunar day, the error is 0.05 seconds per day, 18.385 seconds per year, or 30 minutes
and 38.5 seconds per century.
• For a sidereal day, the deviation is 0.088 seconds per sidereal day, 32.139 seconds per
year or 53 minutes and 33.9 seconds per century.
• For the moon phases, the error is 6.51 seconds per lunation.
A masterpiece of perfection
The manually wound movement is masterpiece of precision engineering composed of a total of
686 individual parts, each meticulously finished by hand. The edges of all steel parts are
beveled and each individual tooth of every single gear is hand polished in an additional process
using a rotating hardwood disk. This degree of perfection is not an end in itself. Polishing
reduces friction at the tooth contact surfaces, thus contributing significantly to the timekeeping
precision and longevity for which Patek Philippe watches have a legendary reputation. The
plate and the module with the perpetual calendar are finished on both sides with an engraving
technique known as “perlage” or circular graining. The bridges are decorate with an engraving
technique known as “vagues de Genève” or Geneva striping. Because of the painstaking
processes and work-intensive steps needed to test timekeeping accuracy, it takes many
months to complete one movement. The result is a flawless marvel of precision engineering
worthy of the prestigious Geneva Seal embossed on its bridge, the highest official hallmark of
quality awarded to mechanical timepieces. Each individual “Sky Moon Tourbillon” Ref. 5002
watch is delivered with a COSC chronometer certificate, as are all Patek Philippe tourbillon
timepieces.
Perfect technology in a beautiful case
The case in 18K yellow gold or solid platinum affords both aesthetic and effective protection of
the “Sky Moon Tourbillon” movement. It looks gracious and elegant despite its sizable
dimensions: 42.8 millimeters in diameter and 16.25 millimeters in height. The comparatively
wide case is decorated with an engraving of halved Calatrava crosses. The crown at 4 o’clock
is used to wind the movement and set the hands on the front side. The crown at 2 o’clock
corrects the position of the sky chart and the hands that indicate sidereal time; turned in the
other direction, it corrects the position of the moon and the moon phase display. The side of the
case also accommodates a number of correction buttons which are activated with a setting
stylus. The first button, between 11 and 12 o’clock, simultaneously corrects the date and the
day of the week. The second one, between 3 and 4 o’clock, corrects the month. The third
button, between 5 and 6 o’clock, corrects the moon age display, and the fourth one, between 6
and 7 o’clock, corrects the day of the week only. The slide which starts the minute repeater is
recessed in the case on the left-hand side. The precious timepiece is worn with a hand-stitched
strap made of crocodile leather; the prong buckle is made of 18K yellow gold or platinum to
match the case.
The two faces of the Sky Moon Tourbillon Ref. 5002
The design of the dials on the front and reverse sides of the timepiece is a challenge in itself. A
multitude of indications must be accommodated on comparatively small surfaces without
compromising legibility and the harmony of the individual displays. The front dial is crafted from
gold with a silvery opaline coating; at its periphery, the hours are represented by Roman
numerals from I to XII. The retrograde date display is on an inner ring between 2 and 10
o’clock with a feuille hand made of blued steel. The minutes are indicated on a railway scale
with a gold poire hand that matches the color of the case. The day of the week and the months
are displayed with blued-steel poire hands on subsidiary dials at 9 and 3 o’clock, respectively.
The leap-year cycle and the moon age are indicated with gold feuille hands on subsidiary dials
at 12 and 6 o’clock. The moon symbols on the moon age display are made of yellow or white
gold to match the case. The new moon symbol is black. The middle of the dial is decorated
with a pattern composed of small Calatrava crosses.
The rear dial showcases the astronomical functions. It has a 24-hour scale with Arabic
numerals at its outermost periphery, used to indicate sidereal time with white, balanced poire
hands. A blue sapphire crystal disc with 279 teeth rotates to track the angular motion of the
moon and in a small round aperture shows the moon phases. The sky chart is on a separate,
transparent sapphire crystal disc with 356 teeth. Both discs are protected by the sapphire
crystal caseback which on its inside bears the 24-hour sidereal dial and a golden ellipse
framing the portion of the sky that is visible from a given location.
A genuine rarity forever and a day
The “Sky Moon Tourbillon” Ref. 5002 is the most complicated wristwatch in regular production
by Patek Philippe. Because of its complexity and the great amount of time that must be
dedicated to the many highly sophisticated production, assembly, and regulating steps, annual
production is limited to only two watches.
The “Sky Moon Tourbillon” Ref. 5002 is priced at CHF 950,000 for the 18K yellow gold version
and CHF 990,000 for the platinum version. The watches are available exclusively at the Patek
Philippe store on the Rue du Rhône in Geneva.
For further information, please contact:
Ms. Jasmina Steele
International Public Relations Director
Patek Philippe Genève
P.O. Box 2654
1211 Genève 2
Switzerland
Tel.: +41 22 884 20 20
Fax.: +41 22 884 20 40
or visit us on the Internet at www.patek.com
– click on "Communications" and then on "Press and PR Information".
Technical specifications
Technical specifications
The complications of the Ref. 5002:
In addition to the indication of hours and minutes of mean solar time which are not considered
complications, the Ref. 5002 features the following complications and supplementary functions:
Dial side
1. Perpetual calendar
2. Date with flyback hand (retrograde display)
3. Day of week
4. Leap-year cycle
5. Month
6. Moon age
Movement
7. Minute repeater
8. Tourbillon
Back side
9. Sidereal time
10. Moon phase
11. Orbit of the moon
12. Sky chart
Movement: Caliber 109 (reference RTO 27 QR SID LU CL)
Mechanical movement with tourbillon, manually
wound
Overall diameter: 38 mm
Height: 12.61 mm
No. of parts: 686
Number of jewels: 55
Power reserve: 38 to 48 hours
Balance: Gyromax
Tourbillon Cage in steel, number of parts: 69, weight: 0,3 g
1 revolution per minute; tourbillon, balance, and
fourth wheel on same axis
Frequency: 21,600 semi-oscillations per hour (3 Hz)
Balance spring: Breguet
Stud: Movable
Hallmark: Geneva Seal, individual COSC chronometer certificate
Indications: Front side, dial:
Hours and minutes of mean solar time, perpetual calendar with
retrograde date, day of week, month, leap-year cycle, and moon age
Reverse side, sky chart:
Hours and minutes of sidereal time, time of meridian passage of Sirius,
time of meridian passage of moon, orbit of the moon, and moon phases
Minute repeater Hour, quarter-hour, and minute strike on two “cathedral” gongs
Features:
Case: 18K yellow gold or platinum
Sapphire crystal glass and caseback
Dimensions: Diameter 42.80 mm
Height 16.25 mm
Weight: ~ 61,5 g with 18K yellow gold case
~ 80,5 g with platinum case
Crowns: At 4 o’clock to wind the movement and set the hands to indicate
mean solar time
At 2 o’clock to correct the sky chart, sidereal time, moon position,
and moon phase
Slide: In the case to start the minute repeater
Correctors: Date and day of week correction between 11 and 12 o’clock
Month correction between 3 and 4 o’clock
Moon age correction between 5 and 6 o’clock
Day of week correction between 6 and 7 o’clock
Front side (dial): Silvery-opalescent gold dial
Applied Roman numerals in yellow or white gold to match the case
Applied moon symbols in yellow or white gold to match the case
(new moon black)
Hands: Hours and minutes: Poire hands in yellow or white gold to
match the case
Date: Blued-steel feuille-fine flyback hand
Day of week: Blued-steel poire hand
Month: Blued-steel poire hand
Leap-year cycle: Feuille hand in yellow or white gold to match the case
Moon age: Feuille hand in yellow or white gold to match the case
Reverse side
(sky chart): Four metallized sapphire crystal discs
White feuille hands for the display of sidereal time
Strap: Crocodile leather
18 mm prong buckle in 18K yellow gold or platinum
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So when a connoisseur unloads a piece of his/hers collection for a profit its sad? Why is that?
Because that's the proof he isn't a real collector.
Plus the series are very limited so he took the watch instead of a real amateur. Plus it is against PP's policy. Plus the new buyer will have bought a grey market watch, loosing all the extra services given by PP, etc...
All those who bought Enzo's for $650K and sold them for $1.1M are not real car guys either I guess.
Are you buying the watch or just poking around? If it's the latter feel free to start your own thread on world morals etc.
Thanks!
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I'm guessing by the cost and the production capacity of two per year he's not actually in posession of it.
As far as collector/connoisseur, I'd say since he's chosen to make this his livelihood, he would definitely have to be considered one, and what's wrong with trying to make money at it? There's a markup on everything you buy, including collectibles and art.
If you really want to know I have a partner involved in this piece, it is in his possession and the price listed % wise is very close to our cost on it. Regardless, it is what it is and if anyone has any interest they know where to contact me.
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Lol when I first read this thread I thought you wrote "1,100.00" I was gonna say dibs lol.
Pateks are my favorite watch but I think I can only *really* afford them about 20 years from now
HA!!! Glad I am not the only one. I couldn't believe the huge write up for such a cheap watch. Quickly realized how my speed reading skills had failed me.
Seriously though, the megacomplications watches don't really do anything for me. In general I would say it would be a good collector's piece, but my business sense wonders if it can really appreciate THAT much when starting out at over a million.
Anyway, cool find! Good luck with it. Oh yeah, you didn't tell us what metal it is?
18K YG and if you want I will finance you at 0% over 12 months. Simply put down $1,050,000 and pay me the remaining $50K over 12 months.
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