The Best Patek Philippe Watches to Strap on During the Next Holiday

If you are someone who likes to keep a tight calendar, or want to make the most of every trip, whether it is for business or leisure, the Ref. 5520 Alarm Travel Time will keep you right on schedule. The watch was first released in 2019 as a platinum model that combined two practical complications – a dual time zone and alarm – into one valuable travel tool. Furthermore, it was Patek Philippe’s first water-resistant chiming timepiece, since it did not require an activating slider to power the alarm. The three pushers at 2, 8, and 10 o’clock turn off the alarm and adjusts local time forwards or backwards. The crown at 4 o’clock, winds and sets the alarm and timekeeping functions. The splitting of these operations is meant to minimise accidental damage by wrongly adjusting two functions together.

With its large stencil font hour indexes that are filled with Super-LumiNova, and sword-style hands that are similarly designed, the Ref. 5520RG-001 has a strong field- or pilot’s watch aesthetic. The brushed and sunburst finish dial with a bronzed colour adds to that vintage, safari feel. It definitely conveys a more relaxed design compared with the Ref. 5520P-001’s matt-black dial.

With its utilitarian operation, what serves to remind us of the watch’s Calatrava roots is in its design elements. The stepped design of the lugs is echoed in the way the case middle, bezel, and case back are assembled, a design that is inspired by the Ref. 5212A Weekly Calendar. And the uncluttered offers plenty of space to indulge in textures and patterns. The snailing of the centre dial and running seconds, with circular brushing on the hour chapter ring, and train-style tracks for hours and minutes, stand out on the sunburst dial. And to keep daytime in the spotlight, it is noon that is at 12 o’clock, with the morning starting at the traditional 9 o’clock position.

The watch uses Patek Philippe’s Caliber 31-260 as a base, and the 31-260 PS FUS 24H is incredibly thin at just 3.7mm with a platinum micro-rotor. The sub-10mm thick watch is excellent for that next precisely executed road trip or work programme.

For those who enjoy the outdoors or favour professional watches, the Ref. 5524G-010 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time released earlier this year is an ideal travel watch. The Calatrava Pilot’s design was a modern take on a pilot’s watch that Patek Philippe had produced nearly 100 years ago, known as the Siderometer. Meant for navigation, these had large dials with angle indications in the centre for the even-numbered hours. The new release comes in a white gold case with an ivory-coloured lacquered dial, paired with a khaki green composite strap with fabric pattern.