The main difference between the Grandmaster Chime Reference 5175 produced as a limited series of just seven pieces for the 175th anniversary of Patek Philippe and the Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300 is immediately apparent. While the limited edition had an intricately hand-engraved case in white gold, the new Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300 enters the Patek Philippe regular collection with a white-gold case that has a more discreet hand engine-turned engraving on the case middle.
In all other respects, the watch is identical. The same movement, Calibre GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM, is used, making the Reference 6300 the most complicated wristwatch in regular production at the brand. Although “regular” in this sense takes on a different meaning, since the complexity of producing a movement with no less than 1366 individual components and 20 complications (see below) will always limit the number in circulation. To reassure collectors, Patek Philippe boss Thierry Stern confirms that “even if I had the capacity to make a lot of them, I wouldn’t.”
Given the complexity of the calibre, an arrival in the brand’s regular collection was only to be expected. “When you develop a movement like this, which took nine years in total, you cannot just make seven of them – it simply isn’t profitable,” explains Thierry Stern. “So we informed our customers in advance that there would be the anniversary model and that this would be followed by a model in the standard collection. The anniversary piece had a special engraved case and box, which made the difference.”
Despite the wealth of complications, the Reference 6300 remains eminently wearable, keeping the diameter of the case down to a still manageable 47.2mm and eminently legible notably thanks to the patented rotating case which means that the perpetual calendar functions can be displayed on a completely separate dial on the reverse side of the watch, leaving the local time, second time zone, alarm time, movement and striking power reserves, alarm setting and crown position indicators all clearly legible on the front side, together with the date and moon phase!
Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300
The 20 complications
1. Grande Sonnerie
2. Petite Sonnerie
3. Minute repeater
4 .Strikework mode display (Silence/Grand Sonnerie/Petite Sonnerie)
5.Alarm with time strike
6.Date repeater
7. Movement power-reserve indicator
8. Strikework power-reserve indicator
9. Strikework isolator display
10 .Second time zone
11. Second time zone day/night indicator
12. Instantaneous perpetual calendar
13.Day-of-week display
14. Month display
15. Date display (on both dials)
16. Leap year cycle
17. Four-digit year display
18. 24-hour and minute subdial
19. Moon phase
20. Crown position indicator (RAH)
