October 1 2026

Patek Philippe 5978P-010: A New Chronograph Perpetual Calendar For Milano 2026

Ricardo Amaral NEW RELEASES, PATEK PHILIPPE 2026, Chronograph, Limited Edition, Perpetual Calendar, Platinum 0

For the Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milano 2026, Patek Philippe has created a particularly significant addition to one of its most celebrated complications: the chronograph combined with a perpetual calendar. The new 5978P-010 brings together the manufacture’s CH 29-535 PS chronograph architecture with an instantaneous perpetual calendar, housed in a 42mm platinum case and produced exclusively for the Italian market in a limited edition of 120 pieces.

The reference joins a long lineage of Patek Philippe chronograph perpetual calendars that began with the legendary Ref. 1518 in 1941. However, the 5978P-010 introduces a distinctly modern technical interpretation of the combination, centred around its new hand-wound CH 29-535 PS QI calibre.

A new hand-wound calibre

At the heart of the 5978P-010 is the manually wound CH 29-535 PS QI, combining Patek Philippe’s traditional column-wheel chronograph with its instantaneous perpetual-calendar mechanism.

The chronograph uses a horizontal clutch and column wheel, with the latter topped by a polished cap characteristic of Patek Philippe’s approach to traditional chronograph construction. The movement contains approximately 500 components and 33 jewels, while its Gyromax balance is fitted with a Breguet overcoil hairspring and operates at a frequency of 4 Hz.

Power reserve is rated between 55 and 65 hours.

The technical highlight, however, is the perpetual calendar. Rather than gradually advancing its indications around midnight, the mechanism stores energy over several hours before releasing it almost simultaneously. This allows the four calendar indications to jump into their new positions in approximately 30 milliseconds.

The day, date, month and leap-year indications therefore change virtually simultaneously, giving the calendar its distinctive instantaneous operation.

The movement can be viewed through the sapphire crystal caseback, which is specially marked “Patek Philippe Milano 2026”, underlining the watch’s connection to the Italian exhibition.

A 42mm platinum case

The 5978P-010 is housed in a 42 mm platinum case measuring 14.20 mm thick. Its construction follows the familiar round Patek Philippe silhouette while incorporating several details that give the watch a distinctly contemporary presence.

The case is fully polished and features a concave bezel, scalloped lugs and rectangular chronograph pushers. As expected from a platinum Patek Philippe, a discreet diamond is set between the lugs at 6 o’clock, serving as one of the manufacture’s traditional signatures for platinum-cased watches.

The combination of the substantial 42mm diameter and complex movement gives the 5978P-010 a pronounced wrist presence while retaining the classical proportions associated with Patek Philippe’s high-complication watches.

A layered navy-blue dial

The dial combines a textured navy-blue centre with a black-gradient outer rim, creating several visual layers without compromising the considerable amount of information displayed.

Patek Philippe has arranged the perpetual-calendar indications around the upper section of the dial. The day appears between 10 and 11 o’clock, the date at 12 o’clock and the month between 1 and 2 o’clock. The leap-year indication is positioned at 4 o’clock.

At 8 o’clock, the running-seconds sub-dial incorporates the day/night indication, while the moon-phase display occupies the traditional 6 o’clock position.

The chronograph’s 30-minute counter sits at 3 o’clock, completing a layout that integrates the two complications without overcrowding the dial.

For this Milano edition, the day and month indications are displayed in Italian, reinforcing its connection to the Italian market and the Watch Art Grand Exhibition.

Different textures and finishing techniques across the dial create additional depth, while the dark blue and black colour combination maintains a restrained aesthetic despite the density of information.

Navy composite strap

Completing the watch is a navy-blue composite strap, selected to complement the colour palette of the dial.

It is secured by a platinum patented triple-blade fold-over clasp, providing a discreet continuation of the precious-metal construction from the case to the wrist.

A limited Milano edition

The Patek Philippe 5978P-010 is being produced in 120 pieces, exclusively for the Italian market in connection with Watch Art Grand Exhibition Milano 2026.

With its combination of a hand-wound chronograph, instantaneous perpetual calendar, platinum case and Italian-language calendar displays, the reference represents a particularly specialised addition to Patek Philippe’s modern high-complication collection.

The 5978P-010 is therefore not simply a new execution of an established complication. Its CH 29-535 PS QI calibre brings together two significant strands of Patek Philippe’s technical development in a single movement, while the Milano-specific details give this limited edition its own identity.