In-Depth: The History Of The Annual Calendar As Patek Philippe Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary With Two New References, The 5396R-016 And 4946G-001

The new annual calendar ref. 5035, with which the brand launched the caliber 315 S QA, featured hallmarks of a top-quality Patek Philippe: an elegant case, a well-finished movement, and added complications and reliability. It, however, introduced a new visual language. Form follows function, as they say, and the gear train’s location necessitated a more triangular dial layout, with a date window at 6 o’clock, which, while more symmetrical, somehow doesn’t feel quite as elegant as the ref. 3940, which was trying to undercut. It also, somewhat surprisingly, required 44 more parts than its perpetual calendar counterpart (324 total), and partially because of that, it was larger as well (37mm by around 11mm, compared to 36mm by 9mm for the 3940).