Patek Philippe Celebrates “Advanced Research

In December 2021, Patek Philippe, through the labor of its top-notch R&D division, has applied an ingenious new innovation to a chiming watch, a grand complication that has been one of its historical specialties, the Ref. 5750P "Advanced Research" Minute Repeater.

- Mark Bernardo

The essence of Patek's technical accomplishment in this very limited timepiece (just 15 pieces) is that it features a method of amplifying the volume of the repeater's time strike in a purely mechanical manner while simultaneously preserving the acoustic quality and doing so while maintaining the smallest possible dimensions. A module added to the bridge side of the movement works like a mechanical loudspeaker, using a triple-patented system with an ultra-thin oscillating sapphire wafer rather than the traditional vibrating membrane. This angular motion of this rigid, free-moving wafer produces a better propagation of sound in the confined dimensions of a watch case, while its transparent sapphire construction preserves a clear view of the movement through an exhibition caseback.