Patek Philippe: 1/10 Second Monopusher Chronograph Ref. 5470P

Patek Philippe is delighting chronograph connoisseurs and enthusiasts with a new high-performance manually wound movement that measures and displays 1/10 of a second – while maintaining this high degree of accuracy throughout the entire timekeeping process. 

To meet this mechanical challenge, the Manufacture used the CH 29- 535 PS caliber, the first Patek Philippe classically built chronograph movement entirely designed and produced in-house and accompanied by six patents. The frequency was increased from 4 to 5 Hz (36,000 vibrations per hour, or ten steps per second) and the movement was equipped with an additional chronograph mechanism exclusively dedicated to 1/10 of a second. 

In order to guarantee simple and fast reading of measured times, the movement developers devised a patented system of concentric seconds and fractions of a second indications. The monopusher chronograph is equipped with two central hands, each driven by one of the mechanisms. One hand (with a one-minute rotation) allows the seconds to be read in the traditional way; while the other hand revolves around the dial in 12 seconds, covering 12 sectors, each subdivided into ten sections corresponding to tenths of a second. In this way, the user can immediately read the elapsed seconds guided by the pearl markers and then, on the outer railway track scale, read the number of elapsed tenths of a second departing from the last red marker. The minutes of the short-time measurement are displayed by the instantaneous 30-minute counter on the subsidiary dial at 3 o’clock. 

To meet the triple objective of efficiency, reliability and precision, the Manufacture has integrated – for the first time in the current collection – its high-tech Oscillomax  regulating organ developed by the Patek Philippe technical department responsible for the innovations featured in the 2011 “Advanced Research” series. Seven additional patented innovations developed for this new 29-535 PS 1/10 caliber also contribute to reducing energy consumption, protecting the movement against shocks and avoiding the risk of breakage in case of mishandling. 

SPORTY STYLE

To case this condensate of technical prowess, the manufacture chose platinum, the most precious metal but also the most difficult one to machine. The gently rounded 41mm case has the same design as the manually wound Ref. 5370 Split Seconds Chronograph launched in 2015. As a special feature, it has a concave bezel that forms a perfect transition to the slightly domed sapphire-crystal glass. The case flanks are slightly recessed and satin-finished, the lugs are curved and feature decorative cabochons at the ends of the spring bars. 

The blue of the dial harmonizes well with the reflections of the platinum case, at the same time offering the perfect contrast for the crisp legibility of the individual displays. The chronograph seconds are indicated with a sandblasted and rhodiumed steel hand on a minute scale with small gold pearls. The tenths of a second are displayed with a slender hand in Silinvar. Because it is so lightweight, the high-tech material saves energy but has the rigidity needed to withstand the shock that occurs when the chronograph is abruptly stopped. The red color of the hand is also echoed on the markers of the railway-track scale for reading tenths of a second. As long as the chronograph is not operating, the red and gray chronograph hands are superposed and look like a single hand. Once a short-time measurement has been started with the pusher at 2 o’clock, it launches its fascinating ballet with two separate rotation speeds. The instantaneous 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and the small seconds at 9 o’clock have crisp railway-track scales to improve the legibility of the respective information. 

Produced in a limited series, the new Patek Philippe Ref. 5470P-001 is paired with a blue calfskin strap with an embossed fabric pattern with red stitching and platinum folding clasp. Like all of Patek Philippe’s platinum model, the 1/10 Second Monopusher Chronograph also features a brilliant-cut diamond set between the lugs at 6 o’clock. (Price CHF 380,000)