UK Perfect Replica Patek Philippe Ref. 3974 Grand Complication
The year 1989 was a big one for the Swiss watch industry. Not only did it mark best replica Patek Philippe watches’ 150th anniversary, but it also is generally regarded as the start of the mechanical watchmaking renaissance. Reference 3974, a 36 mm grand complication in gold or platinum—equipped with an automatic movement containing a perpetual calendar, minute repeater, 24-hour indication, and moonphases—played a significant role in that history.
The movement in Ref. 3974, Caliber 27RQ, consisted of 467 parts, but its case was even more special than the mechanics of the watch, made for high quality copy Patek Philippe by the legendary casemaker Jean-Pierre Hagmann. Discontinued in 2000, the reference is thought to have been made in just 160 examples. Most remain in private hands. When a piece comes to market, you’d better believe it inspires a bidding frenzy.
UK AAA Replica Patek Philippe Ref. 5004 Perpetual Calendar Split-Seconds Chronograph
In 1996, cheap super clone Patek Philippe outdid itself by adding a split-seconds (or rattrapante) chronograph function to what was effectively a reference 3970. A split-seconds chronograph allows one to stop one hand while another keeps going, and once one has measured that interval, the stopped hand catches up (rattrapante in French) to the running hand. What many don’t realize is how complicated a split-seconds chronograph is to make, and some contend it is far more difficult to produce than a tourbillon. As such, Patek made roughly 12 per year before discontinuing the 5004 in 2011.
What remains amazing about the 5004 is its complexity—407 individual parts—packed into a sub-37 mm wristwatch format. Today, Patek creates similar top fake watches in the Ref. 5402, which is 40 mm across and costs $336,890, but a 2499 once belonging to Eric Clapton hammered for over 10 times as much at Sotheby’s in 2018. For those who admire complexity in a traditional style, there is very little that outdoes the 5004.