Patek Philippe 5270p Grand Complications Chronograph 'Salmon Dial'

It has to be said that the Grand Complication 5270 range from Patek has become one of their signature “want” pieces in the collecting world. 

A far cry from the Nautilus and Aquanaut, this precious metal manual winding perpetual calendar chronograph was first released in 2011, and while it was originally a slow burner, a few tweaks and updates later, it’s safe to say that its a very current crowd pleaser. 

A green dial model was released in 2022 and while it’s striking and refined with its brand new emerald dial, for me, its salmon predecessor reigns supreme, and thats what i’m going to drool over today. 

First introduced in 2018, this 5270P has real vintage feel due to the gorgeous salmon dial, a colour which lifted many a watch since its introduction in the art deco period of the 1930s.

Patek originally offered it as a “by customer request” option and referred to it as “Golden Opaline”. 

Time moves on, and the “salmon” nickname has stuck with collectors. 

It is, in my opinion, a virtually perfect dial option as it works well with any skin tone whether you’re tanned or the same colour as the seagulls in the far north of Scotland. 

Although it originated to compliment rose gold watches, if you pair it with a cooler platinum tone, as Patek have, and you create a beautiful contrast. 

As much as I could go on about the dial all day, we should probably take a look at the rest of the watch. 

41mm with Patek’s signature “Top Wessleton” diamond sitting between the glorious fluted lugs at 6, indicating a platinum case. 

Patek set this exceptionally clear diamond into their platinum pieces as a little treat and reminder of what you’re wearing. 

It doesn’t show to the outside world in normal wear but you catch a very pleasing glint whenever you roll your wrist towards you to view the watch. 

In this case though, even though Patek have given this “quick release” spring bars to make strap changes easier, I’m taking the diamond as an apology for making the lug width 21mm which is a pretty awkward size when it comes to strap buying. 

That said, the factory chosen alligator strap with Calatrava cross platinum push clasp is an absolutely magnificent and butter soft pairing which I wouldn’t change, although wouldn’t a grey suede strap just look fabulous if you wanted to go a bit casual? 

As this has water resistance of 30m meaning its really only splash proof, you could easily get away with suede as in an ideal world, this is not a watch to get wet. 

As Patek have packed in a perpetual calendar and chronograph, this piece has certainly got a lot to look at while noting the absolute symmetry. 

- Day and month windows at the top

• Star speckled moon phase surrounded by the date and date hand at 6
• Day/night indicator to the left of the moon phase and leap year indicator to the right. 
• Running seconds at 9 as this is a chronograph, and 30 minute counter at 3.

There’s no lume on display anywhere but instead you get beautiful black hands and applied numerals to match the dial print. 

As this is a perpetual calendar with all the trimmings, day/month/calendar etc are set by pushers that are set into the side of the case as there’s too much going on here for a pull out crown to handle so that just deals with winding, hand setting and pulling out to stop seconds. 

Flip to the back and you can take a look at the hand wound movement which when fully wound gives a power reserve of between 55 and 65 hours if you aren’t running the chronograph. 

Without diving into the tech too hard, this is calibre CH29-535 with 33 jewels and a column wheel lateral clutch for the chronograph which is all too tempting to play with while looking through the back. 

I could watch it click into play whenever the chronograph button is started stopped and reset all day long.

Fiddling aside, I love a manual wind movement. There is no finer way to start the day than bonding with a watch as you wind it over morning coffee, and as a package, I absolutely love this watch. It’s a grail piece as not only does it contain every complication that id want or need on a daily basis, it is packaged as one of the best looking and highly sought after Grand Comps that Patek have released in years. 

Obviously this is just opinion and we all know they vary wildly in the watch world, but in my opinion, the 5270P is about as good as it gets.