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Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5235G-001
Ref. 5235G-001
Introduced at Baselworld 2011, the 5235G-001 is Patek Philippe's first regulator-style wristwatch — a layout that separates the hours, minutes and seconds onto distinct axes, as precision master-clocks have done for centuries. The angular, satin-brushed case draws a conscious line back to the perpetual calendar reference 3448 of 1962, though the movement inside is anything but retrospective. The calibre 31-260 REG QA was built from scratch specifically for this watch: the standard micro-rotor architecture could not accommodate a seconds subdial at six o'clock, so Patek engineered around it. That movement is also among the first in regular production to carry components from the brand's Advanced Research programme — a silicon Spiromax balance spring and Pulsomax escapement, both immune to magnetism and requiring no lubrication. At 10.2mm total thickness for an automatic annual calendar in white gold, it sits closer to the wrist than most complications at this diameter, and the 47.6mm lug-to-lug keeps it from overreaching on a narrower wrist. The dial rewards attention in changing light: the engraved Patek Philippe signature is lacquer-free and brushed to disappear at most angles, surfacing only when the light catches it directly. The blued steel hands and indices carry no lume, so the watch reads as a pure instrument rather than a tool. The Art Deco pin buckle is solid 18k white gold, deeply engraved in a mid-century typeface used nowhere else in the current collection — a detail that becomes apparent only when you unfasten it.
- Reference
- 5235G-001
- Brand
- Patek Philippe
- Collection
- ComplicationsCase Size: 40
- Case size
- 40.5mm
- Case thickness
- 10.2mm
- Lug width
- 20mm
- Case material
- Stainless steel
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Silver
- Crystal
- Sapphire
- Movement
- Automatic
- Calibre
- 31-260 REG QA
- Functions
- Day-date, Small seconds
- Water resistance
- 30m
- Bracelet / strap
- Leather strap
- Strap colour
- Blue
- Clasp
- Buckle
- Lume
- Luminous
- Condition
- Pre-owned
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Additional specifications
- Lug-to-lug
- 47.6mm
- Power reserve
- 48 hours
Learn more about Patek Philippe
Antoine Norbert de Patek, a Polish cavalry officer exiled after the November Uprising, founded a watch business in Geneva in 1839 with his countryman François Czapek. The partnership dissolved after six years, and in 1845 Patek took on the French watchmaker Adrien Philippe, inventor of the keyless winding crown. The firm became Patek Philippe in 1851.
That single invention mattered more than any other in the company's early history: it removed the winding key, and every modern watch descends from it. Queen Victoria bought a Patek pendant watch at the Great Exhibition the same year, establishing the royal patronage the house has traded on ever since.
The Stern family, dial manufacturers and long-standing suppliers, bought the company in 1932 during the Depression. Four generations later it remains in their hands — the last independent family-owned manufacture in Geneva, currently led by Thierry Stern.
Patek's reputation rests on complications: the Calibre 89 of 1989 carried thirty-three of them, and the Grandmaster Chime remains among the most complicated wristwatches made. The Nautilus, drawn by Gérald Genta in 1976 as a steel luxury sports watch, became an unlikely commercial phenomenon four decades after launch.
Production stays deliberately modest, in the tens of thousands annually, and every watch carries the Patek Philippe Seal, an in-house standard the company adopted in 2009 after abandoning the Geneva Seal as insufficiently strict.
- 1839
- Antoine Norbert de Patek and François Czapek found the firm in Geneva.
- 1845
- Adrien Philippe joins, bringing the keyless winding crown.
- 1851
- The company is renamed Patek Philippe; Queen Victoria buys a watch.
- 1932
- The Stern family acquires the company.
- 1976
- The Nautilus debuts, designed by Gérald Genta.
- 2009
- The Patek Philippe Seal replaces the Geneva Seal.
Also in 5 collections
This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,626), Automatic Watches (1,366), Leather Strap Watches (841), Silver Dial Watches (592) and Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (240).
2-year Goldsmiths warranty
What the specifications mean
A slim watch on leather, made for wearing with a shirt.
Strengths
- 47.6mm lug-to-lug keeps the 40.5mm case wearable
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
Worth knowing
- 30m means keeping it away from water
Compare alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 5235G-001 | 406001066490 | 85250/000P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £36,950 | £36,995 | £30,995 |
| Case size | 40.5mm | 41mm | 40mm |
| Water resistance | 30m | 50m | 30m |
| Movement | Automatic | Automatic | Automatic |
| Strap | Leather strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap |
| Power reserve | 48 hours | 40 hours | 43 hours |
| This watch |
|
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
No. At 30m it will survive rain and handwashing, but not submersion of any kind.
Will the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Does it need a battery?
No. It is automatic — the motion of your wrist winds it, and there is no cell to replace.
How long does it run for when it's not worn?
About 48 hours fully wound — enough to survive a night off the wrist, but not a full weekend.
What size strap does it take?
20mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Will it fit my wrist?
Lug-to-lug is 47.6mm, which suits wrists from roughly 16.5cm (6½ inches) upward.
Lug-to-lug decides fit more than case diameter does.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as men's.
Cheapest place to buy
Goldsmiths at £36,950, pre-owned. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.
Is this available new?
Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as pre-owned only, at £36,950 from Goldsmiths. Goldsmiths test every pre-owned watch for authenticity, timekeeping and water resistance, and warrant it for 2 years — the same term they give on a new watch.
Who are Goldsmiths?
Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.
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