On the occasion of Mr. Philippe Stern’s 85th birthday (b. 1938), Thierry Stern has chosen to pay tribute to his father by creating a special series – featuring a brand-new movement developed exclusively for this timepiece and which will never be reused – the 1938P Minute Repeater Alarm
Patek Philippe thus honours Mr. Philippe Stern’s exceptional career dedicated to reviving fine watchmaking. Based on the R 27 calibre, the new self-winding R AL 27 PS calibre combines a minute repeater (Mr. Philippe Stern’s favourite complication) with an alarm chiming the programmed time on the same two classic gongs.
The combination of these two functions represented a real technical challenge, requiring the addition of 227 components and the filing of four new patents. The finishing of this exclusive movement is particularly meticulous. The edges of the bridges and hammers are gilded. The yellow gold mini-rotor is rhodium-plated with yellow gold edges and adorned with a black lacquered hand-engraving reproducing Mr. Philippe Stern’s signature.
Just as with all Patek Philippe complicated watches, the emphasis is on user-friendliness. The crown-integrated pusher is used to select the chiming mode, which is displayed in the small bell-shaped aperture at 3 o’clock. The 12-hour programmable alarm time is set from quarter-hour to quarter-hour by means of a central rose-gold hand pointing to the powdered rose-gilt scale on the periphery of the dial.
The Grand Feu black enamel dial features a portrait of Mr. Philippe Stern in Grand Feu white and grey miniature painting on enamel. Time is marked off by applied numerals and Breguet-type hands in white gold.
The entirely polished platinum Officer’s-style case set with a diamond at 6 o’clock is fitted with straight lugs and screwed-in strap bars. Its sapphire crystal case-back is protected by a hinged dust cover hand-engraved with the inscription “À mon père, 85 ans de passion horlogère” (“To my father, 85 years of watchmaking passion”).
The watch is fitted with a shiny black alligator leather strap with platinum fold-over clasp.
