Patek Philippe Introduces The Reference 5370R Split-Seconds Chronograph In Rose Gold

At times, it’s hard to keep up with all the new releases during Watches and Wonders. A good example is the stream of great ones from Patek Philippe. The brand unveiled a total of 15 new references this week that all deserve our attention. But where do you start? One glance made that very clear for me. Forget everything called Cubitus or Calatrava. The 5370R split-seconds chronograph in rose gold is the absolute highlight from Patek Philippe this year for me. One look was enough to stop my world from turning for a minute. The brown Grand Feu enamel dial with sub-dials and a tachymeter scale in beige champlevé enamel is breathtakingly beautiful. Let’s find out what the story is behind the gorgeous face.

In the last days of 2023, I wrote a piece about the rise in popularity of brown dials. Maybe it’s better to call it a heartfelt plea for something that never really came to fruition. As it turns out now, I made my wish about 16 months too soon. This year at Watches and Wonders, we saw a string of timepieces that stood out with their brown dials. A few examples are the brilliant A. Lange & Söhne Odysseys Honeygold, the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona in full 18K Eversose gold with its brown dial, and the Grand Seiko Tokyo Lion SLGC009. While it is a step too far to call brown a dominant color for this year, we are seeing more dials in that color than usual.

Patek Philippe and brown dials in 2025

The brand that surprised us with several brown-dial releases is Patek Philippe. We saw a new 40mm rose gold Cubitus with a brown dial, the 4946R annual calendar with a chestnut “shantung” finished dial, and the wonderful rose gold 5370R split-seconds chronograph I’ll be raving about in this article. The watches show classy appeal and great variation, which is possible with different shades of brown.

But let’s focus on the 5370R split-seconds chronograph because it deserves our full attention. We have seen different executions of the 5370 in the past but never in rose gold. The first version in platinum with a black enamel dial debuted in 2015. Five years later, the brand followed that release up with a second platinum version housing a blue enamel dial instead. Both of them were stellar releases but are no longer part of the brand’s collection. Now, five years after that second model, we get the first rose gold version, which transforms the 5370 completely. The warmth that the combination of materials and colors awakens is inherently different from the models we have seen before.

The details of the rose gold 5370R

Let’s start with some basics to get an idea of what this vintage-inspired split-second chronograph is all about. The new 5370 has a wonderfully sculpted 41mm rose gold case with a 13.56mm thickness. The wonderfully elegant lines show clear inspiration from the case of the Patek’s classic ref. 1436. That split-seconds chronograph, which came out in 1938, featured a case with similar-style lugs with a cabochon, rectangular pushers, and a crown with an integrated pusher to activate the split-seconds mechanism.

The new case is so much more refined and detailed than its inspiration. I adore the case flanks, with their brushed recessed grooves holding the pushers and the crown on the right side and unobstructed on the left side. This extra style element adds the option of finding more visual detail through a brilliant combination of brushed and polished surfaces. As you can see, the face of the watch features a brilliant finish with polished lugs and a polished bezel. It presents a glorious frame for the stunning dial.

The beautiful enamel dial of the 5370R

I can and, of course, will explain the details of this wonderful dial. However, as is so often true, describing the details is the rationalization of the feeling I get when I look at this beautiful dial. I also understand that not everyone shares this sentiment. But it doesn’t happen often that I am this impressed by a dial, and it’s certainly not just about the colors. Speaking of which, though, let’s start there. The 18K gold base plate is transformed by hand to a brown Grand Feu enamel dial with sub-dials and a tachymeter scale in beige champlevé enamel. The latter is a technique by which the outer ring and the two sub-dials are carved out of the base plate and filled with vitreous enamel. The different enamel parts are polished to result in a beautifully created and wonderfully finished dial.

But that just explains the technique used to create this dial and give it its wonderful color. The design itself is fascinating too. First, the dial is combined with classic rose gold Breguet numerals. Admittedly, they are generally not my favorite style of numerals on a chronograph like this. In the overall creation of this dial, though, they bring character and style, which is why they work so well. But you should also look at the font types chosen for the tachymeter scale and the sub-dials. I love the numerals of the tachymeter! In particular, the open 9 is wonderful. Another highlight for me is the two connected beige scales. The outer railroad track is not for the minutes or elapsed seconds. Rather, it’s for the tachymeter scale, while the markings it encircles display the hours and minutes. I love how the scales are visually stepped to serve their purpose.

A brilliant result

The result is a wonderfully detailed dial signed off by simply stating “Patek Philippe,” “Geneve,” and “Email” (the French word for “enamel”). There’s no unnecessary extra info to clutter the design. Topping the dial is a stunning set of rose gold hands. The central hour and minute hands have lume matching the cream elements on the dial. Secondly, the two central rattrapante chronograph hands are slim and sharp, which I prefer. Lastly, the two dagger-style hands used for the sub-dials match the central hour and minute hands nicely to create a beautiful set of hands.

The in-house caliber CHR 29-535 PS

If you turn the watch around, you are greeted by the in-house caliber CHR 29-535 PS. It is the rattrapante version of the 29-535 movement, which debuted in 2009 as the first manual-winding chronograph caliber created fully in-house by Patek Philippe. This rattrapante version comprises 312 parts. It operates at 28,800vph, has 34 jewels, and offers 65 hours of power reserve.

The movement features a classic architecture with a dual column-wheel and horizontal clutch. Additionally, Patek Philippe regulates the caliber to an accuracy of -3/+2 seconds per day. Of course, all the individual parts display meticulously hand-finishing and feature a combination of polished, brushed, grained, and beveled surfaces.

Could this Patek Philippe 5370R be my new grail watch?

A shiny chestnut-brown alligator leather strap with square scales stylishly finishes the look. It comes equipped with a patented triple-blade folding clasp that proudly features the brand’s logo. It’s the perfect strap to complement the warm, classic style of the watch. However, I must say that I would be tempted to try various lighter nubuck and suede options that are in line with the colors used for the dial. Alas, that will most likely never happen considering that the price of this new Patek Philippe 5370R is a whopping US$288,700.

That is money only the happy few will be able to spend on a watch. But that doesn’t keep me from admiring the watch from a monetary distance. I am so impressed by this new 5370R that I question whether it could replace the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Rattrapante Honeygold “Homage to F. A. Lange” as my grail watch. From seeing the images, I say that it could. But I was lucky enough to spend some time with the Lange, and that made it the one that holds that special place in my heart. I’ll likely never own this Patek Philippe 5370R, but I will settle for a hands-on experience to answer that burning question. In the meantime, this is my undisputed highlight of this year’s strong lineup of Patek Philippe releases at Watches and Wonders.