Marking the first annual calendar in the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Replica collection, the new Ref. 5261 is a thoroughbred Patek Philippe product. Invented and patented by Patek in 1996, the annual calendar complication is more robust than a perpetual calendar and more complex than a complete calendar, requiring just one correction a year at the end of the erratic month of February.
While it is the first annual calendar for the Aquanaut, the complication has been used in the sporty Nautilus Ref. 5726.Blue dials are a dime a dozen, but Patek’s matte blue-grey dial is beautiful and pairs particularly well with the rose gold. Reminiscent of the sky before a storm, the blue-grey colour is a clever choice; it’s neither masculine nor feminine but an attractive colour that will appeal to both sexes.
Using the signature grenade pattern on the Cheap Patek Philippe Replica dial as the background, the calendar functions are intuitively displayed in two horizontal sub-dials and a date aperture at 6 o’clock. However, this display is not like other Patek annual calendars.
This is because the annual calendar module inside the movement has been inverted, meaning the moon phases now appear at noon and the date at 6 o’clock. Legibility is impeccable thanks to the generous amounts of Super-LumiNova applied to rose gold hands and numerals and the 5-minute plots on the peripheral track.
Patek Philippe Replica Watches For Man new automatic movement with a 21k gold central rotor – calibre 26-330 S QA LU – is based on the calibre 26-330 introduced in 2019 in the Calatrava Weekly Calendar (Ref. 5212A) fitted with the annual calendar module with moon phases. Equipped with Patek’s patented Gryromax balance and a Spiromax balance spring, the frequency is 28,800vph, and the power reserve is between 35 and 45 hours.
The movement also features stop-seconds functionality to set the time to the nearest second. Decorated to High Quality Patek Philippe Replica Seal standards, the refined finishings can be appreciated through the sapphire caseback. The watch comes on a matching greyish-blue Aquanaut composite rubber strap with a patented rose gold foldover clasp with four independent catches.
The Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar cuts it both ways and can proudly fly the unisex flag. However, a word of caution for potential clients who might think of buying it without trying it on, especially women. Although the gentle curve of the case ensures the watch sits flush on the wrist and is lower than its 10.94mm height would suggest, its dimensions are on the large side for women with dainty wrists.
Conversely, it is a perfect size for men who prefer more compact watches. To give you an idea, our photographs were taken on Brice’s small 16.5cm wrist. With my even smaller 16cm wrist, the Fully Iced Out Replica has a significant presence, but this, coupled with the weight of the solid gold case, is something I enjoy.
I’m not sure, though, that the vast majority of women will warm to the dimensions of this model unless, like me, they like large, heavy unisex watches with solid horological content. It makes you wonder why Patek decided to include it in the women’s Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Replica Swiss Movement and not the men’s Aquanaut collection. In fact, I predict that the Ref. 5261R-001 will end up on more men’s than women’s wrists.
