Caliber 26-330 S C J SE Weekly Calendar

The movement used on this Patek Philippe 5212A Calatrava Weekly Calendar adds the weekly calendar complication to the 26-330 movement, known now as the 26-330 S C J SE. For the amateur Patek movement experts out there who may not recognize that “SE” designation, that’s because it’s a new one to indicate the week number function. 

The movement measures 27mm-wide and 4.82mm-thick when you factor in the 1.52mm thickness added by the weekly calendar complication. It is composed of 304 parts, which is the total of 212 parts for the base movement and 92 parts that make up the weekly calendar complication. It also consists of 50 jewels, 30 for the base movement and 20 for the weekly calendar complication. The rotor is finished in 21k gold, still. And naturally, you’ve got the Gyromax balance wheel and Spiromax balance spring.

It operates at 28,800 vph and has a maximum power reserve of 45 hours. 

Patek Philippe Calatrava Case And Finish

Housed in a 40mm-wide and 10.79mm-thick steel case, the Patek Philippe 5212A Calatrava Weekly Calendar is defined by its two-tier construction. It’s remarkably subtle in its execution and is the rare example of a Patek Philippe Calatrava that’s not done in precious metal but shows off why Patek Philippe watches require so much skilled crafting. 

The aforementioned two-tiered lugs do something really impressive, especially when you consider how many of the finishings from Patek are done by hand. The upper-tier lug extends above the case band and slopes down past below the chamfered lower area of the bezel and connects right back to the case band. Another way to put this would be to say that the bezel is extending over the lugs. The challenge of chamfering this lower bezel area by hand so the gap between bezel and upper-tier of the lug so it is even all the way around is considerable.

In fact, the finishings I just discussed are a case study in just how intensely rigorous the “Patek Philippe Seal” is. Among the line items that go into the PP Seal, two requirements are that any hand-finished parts of the case can’t deviate from the master template, and there can be no sharp edges on a case. This is remarkably precise work and one of the best examples of how Patek Philippe was highly cognizant of the relationship between lines and angles in the design of the watch.

Something obvious but noteworthy about this watch is that all five hands share the same central rotation point on the dial (as opposed to sub-dials or aperture windows). So much of the watchmaking process involves hand-finishes on these very small components with physical limitations and sensitive tolerances. This means that any slight errant variances in the weight or form of a given hand could throw everything off. 

Patek Philippe 5212A Final Thoughts

This is a watch that asks the wearer to rethink assumptions. The assumption that the Patek Philippe Calatrava is done only in precious metals and exclusively define “Bauhaus” as being “minimalist.” It asks many of us to rethink how we plot and measure the year. And, of course, it asks us to rethink what we expect from a typeface or front from a finished product, let alone a finished product carrying the weight and history of Patek Philippe. I think this is a watch that will be obsessed over in due time, though many opinions I’ve read or heard this soon after its introduction can be classified as either cursory or simply perfunctory. Personally, I can’t wait to revisit the topic again.

The Patek Philippe Ref. 5212A Calatrava Weekly Calendar is priced at $33,450 USD. You can learn more over at patek.com.