
Sharon Chan
International Director
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Sold for HK$281,600 inc. premium
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International Director

Specialist

Senior Business Associate
Reference 5235 was introduced at the Baselworld fair in 2012. Its uniqueness lies in its movement, the caliber 31-260 REG QA, standing for Régulateur Quantième Annuel. This is the first modern Patek Philippe annual calendar wristwatch to feature a regulator dial. Historically, a regulator was a centrally located clock in watchmaker workshops, with a prominent minute hand. This allowed watchmakers to regulate the watches they were building against the time displayed on the central regulator, hence the name. The regulator dial enhances accuracy by having non-coaxial hour and minute hands, meaning the hour and minute hands are independently placed rather than sharing the central pinion position on the dial. The current lot is a single sealed example, which makes it a rare and pristine example. Among collectors, this reference is considered one of the most significant technical innovations in Patek Philippe's history.