Produced from 1996-2005, the 5035 was the first PP annual calendar watch. Patek decided to produce this model as a simplified version of the perpetual calendar, which many found too complicated to operate, and sometimes obsolete. The 5035 was replaced in 2005 by the 5146, which is still in production today.
At 37mm, the 5035 features the date, month and date display. At 6 o’ clock, there is a 24 hour display. This combination is not found in any annual calendar watch offered by Patek anymore.
The 5035 was produced in rose gold, white gold, yellow gold and platinum. The movement inside is PP’s 315s QA24h movement with a solid gold rotor. The finishing is superb and the winding efficiency is great due to the weight of the solid gold rotor.
Its successor 5146 features sub-dials for day, month and moon-phase and an aperture for the date. There is also a power reserve at 12 o’ clock. The 5146 is 39mm which is 2mm bigger than the 5035. It also has Arabic numerals instead of the Roman numerals on the 5035.
Although the 5146 displays more information on its dial, it is considered by some to be too busy. Not only does the 5035 have the most discrete size of 37mm, it also has the kind of sheer functionality displaying only the most essential information on the dial. It is simple and clean.
Investment value : The 5035’s price ranges from HKD140,000 to 170,000 depending on condition. Although it was produced for almost ten years, it is still a collectible piece as it was Patek’s first annual calendar model. In today’s watch world, if you can still grab a used Patek with complication at this price, it is a bargain. What you get are superb finishing on the dial, case and the movement and very practical functions from the world’s most prestigious watch brand.