Salmon Dial 5035 Patek Philippe Annual Calendar

This may come as a surprise, but Patek’s annual calendar calibres actually requires a greater number of components than their perpetuals: 324 for the annual base calibre vs 280 for the perpetual. This 5035, the world’s first annual calendar complication, was intended to help bridge the gap between a Calatrava and full-on perpetual calendar. At least, that was the aim, but when the 5035 came to market in ’96 Patek had factually created a watch more complicated than its perpetual offering, but which sold at half the price (19K as opposed to the perpetuals 40K).

Patek created their first line of annual calendars in 1996 with the 5035 to attract a new category of buyer: one who appreciated mechanical complication more than the 10K Calatrava could satisfy, but was not ready to borrow 40K on a 3940. If you’re asking ‘that’s great, but what’s the difference?’, read on (if you know, skip the rest of this paragraph). An annual calendar complication is aimed toward simplicity of calendar adjustment. The annual needs to be adjust once per year on the jump from February 28th to March 1st (or on leaps years likewise). Perpetual calendars are engineered to calculate and account for leap years also.

However, as you might expect of a watch popping up on Hairspring by now, this one’s a bit special. Salmon dial 5035Gs are by some margin the least common standard production. But that’s not all. This was the first time Patek had brought the Oceanic tone to a production model. Previously, salmon was reserved for select clients, limited editions, or very important celebrations (for example the Only Watch Grandmaster Chime). This 5035G was the first time the that delicious pink-orange-copper had been liberated, as it were. The 5270 picked up that torch after the 5035 ceased production. Moreover, its 37mm proportions are perfect and certainly less divisive than this dial layout, which tends to provoke adoration or distain. It’s not often you get to invent a complication. But it’s even less often you get such an expressive new design under the PP name. Plus, theres tritium! The 5035 isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it is worth a taste.

This example was originally sold in brazil, interestingly enough (it has papers). And its tritium is a beautiful yellow tone, inside the numerals and handset. The case is full and shows little surface wear. It comes with its original strap and papers, serviced, from a well-regarded retailer.

Find this salmon dial 5035G here from Bulang & Sons for 32900 EUR.