Popular Patek Philippe In-Line Perpetual Calendar

While Patek Philippe has been best known over the past few years as the makers of a somewhat eccentric blue dial stainless steel sports watch originally designed in the 1970s, it’s worth reminding yourself occasionally that they’ve been doing something else for quite some time, just a little more than “you know” and its successors in terms of horological content.
You might think that this week, at least for replica Patek Philippe, would be remembered as the week that that watch made its debut, but today, Patek Philippe has announced a new creation that is surely a firm and emphatic reminder, if not a return to form itself, that the esteemed Geneva-based company did not gain its lofty position in the world of horology by feeding a fashion machine, on the Internet or otherwise.
This new product is the Ref. 5236P-001 in-line perpetual calendar. It comes in a 41.3mm x 11.5mm platinum case and is equipped with a new movement, the 31-260 PS QL. Patek Philippe enthusiasts will immediately notice the fully in-line date display, a first for fake Patek Philippe in a wristwatch.
Producing an in-line perpetual calendar watch as opposed to a pocket watch presents a number of challenges. Firstly, it adds considerable complexity to what is already a rather high component count complication. Second, it drains additional energy from the movement because of the energy loss associated with moving the discs (especially when the day, month, and date change simultaneously).
The third point is that in a wristwatch, it is quite difficult to keep the display moderate in size while maintaining readability – there is more space under the dial in a pocket replica watch, but in a 41.5 mm watch, which must be kept reasonably thick and incorporate an automatic winding system, managing the space is a big challenge.
Nowadays, as a watch writer, I increasingly feel that I have to sit back and take a deep breath when I see the prices of truly fine timepieces, but on the other hand, Patek Philippe’s perpetual calendar has never been a cheap proposition.