2009 Only Watch Auction / Monaco
A unique Patek Philippe Celestial model in rose gold with date indication, ref. 5106R, will be auctioned-off
on September 24th, 2009 at 6.00 PM in Monaco to fund medical research for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
“We decided to create this unique watch for Only Watch 09,” says Thierry Stern, Vice President of Patek Philippe,
“because astronomical indication watches remain among the rarest type of complications and are also one of the most
intriguing ones. The sky and stars are a source of dreams and hope, hope for the better as made possible by
the organization of Only Watch.”
Prior to the auction, an exhibition
world tour is organized from
the end of July to mid-September:
SHANGHAI (Park Hyatt): 29 – 31/07/09
GENEVA (Patrizzi & Co): 27 – 29/08/09
LONDON (Asprey): 3 – 5/09/09
NEW YORK (Tourneau): 10 – 12/09/09
MILAN (Pisa Orologeria): 17 – 18/09/09
MONACO (Monaco Yacht Show): 23 – 24/09/09
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Technical details
The Unique Patek Philippe Only Watch 09
Ref 5106 Celestial with date indication
Movement: 240 LU CL C
Indications: Hours and minutes of local time (mean solar time), sky chart, time of meridian passage of Sirius,
time of meridian passage of moon, lunar orbit, moon phase and date on perimeter of dial
Dimension: 38 mm
Thickness: 6.81 mm
Number of jewels: 45
Number of parts: 315
Winding rotor: 22k gold minirotor, unidirectional winding
Balance: Gyromax
Power reserve: Approx. 48 hours
Case: 18K rose gold for the case and 22k rose gold for the bezel
Dimension: 44.2 mm
Thickness: 11.15 mm
Water-resistant: 30 m
Dial: Three metalized sapphire crystaldiscs Sapphire crystal glass with 31 metalized Arabic numerals
as well as ellipse framing the portion of the sky visible from Geneva
Hands: Hours and minutes skeletonized white-lacquered gold feuille hands 18k polished rose gold
calendar hand with half-moon sandblasted shaped tip
Strap: Dark blue hand-stitched crocodile leather
Clasp: 18 mm prong buckle, 18k rose gold
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The unique Only Watch 2009 Patek Philippe Ref 5106: Celestial model in rose gold with date indication and exclusive
guilloché pattern Patek Philippe’s Ref 5106 Celestial selfwinding wristwatch features a large-format sky chart that
indicates the nocturnal sky for the northern hemisphere which rotates counter clockwise on its dial showing the angular
progression of the stars relative to the meridian passage of Sirius. At the same time, the display shows the angular
position of the moon, its phases and meridian passage. The new exclusive model offers the useful addition of the date
indication and an exclusive guilloché pattern on the bezel.
“We decided to create this unique watch for Only Watch 09,” says Thierry Stern, Vice President, Patek Philippe,
“because astronomical indication watches remain among the rarest type of complications and are also one of the
most intriguing ones. The sky and stars are a source of dreams and hope, hope for the better as made possible
by the organization of Only Watch.”
“What first impresses you when you look at the watch, (other than its beauty),” says Sandrine Stern,
Head of Creation at Patek Philippe, “is the luminosity and depth of the astronomical dial. It features hour,
minute leaf-shaped openwork rose gold hands and a polished rose gold calendar hand with a halfmoon sandblasted
shaped tip to indicate the date on the perimeter of the dial. In addition to the date indication, it features
the four points of the compass – north, south, east and west, and ‘PATEK PHILIPPE GENEVE’.”
The watch itself is in rose gold, the bezel in 22k rose gold, and the middle part of the watchcase and the back of the case in 18k
rose gold. You may ask, “Why 22k?” The choice of 22k rose gold is due to the intricate and exclusive decoration on the bezel since
22k is much softer than 18k and so allowing the delicate decoration using a special hand guilloché tool made just for this watch.
The complex astronomical displays rely on a system of stacked sapphire crystal discs which rotate at different speeds and create a
mesmerizing impression of depth. The celestial background is a blue sapphire crystal disc on a wheel with 279 teeth. This disc reproduces
the orbit of the moon. Via a planetary gear train, it also drives a subsidiary sapphire crystal disc depicting the waxing and waning
of the moon in a small round aperture. Above it, on a wheel with 356 teeth, is a transparent sapphire crystal disc which bears the sky
chart on one side and an image of the Milky Way galaxy on the other. These three discs are protected by the sapphire crystal
glass with an ellipse on the inside that frames the portion of the sky visible above Geneva. For this invention, Patek Philippe
was awarded Swiss Patent CH 688 171 B5.
The movement of the Celestial is a masterpiece of precision mechanical engineering, composed of 315 individual parts that are
painstakingly finished by hand. The edges of all steel components are beveled and polished and each tooth of each and every gear
wheel is manually polished with a rotating hardwood disc. This degree of perfectionism reduces friction at the wheel contact points
and contributes significantly to the high level of precision and longevity for which Patek Philippe watches have earned a reputation.
The self-winding watch draws its power from a mini-rotor recessed off-center in the movement. Even slight movements of the wrist
are sufficient to supply the necessary winding energy, because the rotor is crafted from heavy 22k gold. For this reason,
the movement is only 6.26 millimeters high, despite its complexity.
The case, too, is remarkably slim. Both the sapphire over the dial and the sapphire of the exhibition back of the case are
anti-reflect treated to allow you to clearly see the astronomic indications and the oscillating mass that is engraved on the outer
edge: “to Paul” – a very discreet engraving. This is the very first time that Patek Philippe has added a date to the Celestial wristwatch.
