This Baselworld 2017, Patek Philippe took the center stage with 24 novelties that included a little bit of everything including eight new watches within their grand complications collection, seven within the complications and eight new timepieces for ladies just to name a few. The reference 5960 that we're talking about was originally released in 2006 and lauched in stainless steel with the letter 'A' in the model designation 5960/1A —which stands for 'acier', steel in French—, in 2014 replacing the gold and platinum versions. This year, a new iteration of reference 5960/1A has been released with an ebony black opaline dial. You can see the hands-on for the white dial version here.

The Case & Dial

The new Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph ref. 5960/1A in stainless steel is now available with a white dial or a black dial. Fitted with a highly polished stainless steel case measuring 40.5 mm in diameter and water resistant to a depth of 30 meters, this awesome complication is equipped with pump chrono pushers and three correctors on the case band to adjust the annual calendar.

Now available with a deep black opaline dial with blackened gold applied hour markers and red chrono seconds and minute hands, the new ref. 5960/1A-010 is now much sportier than its white dial counterpart.

The dial layout is very well balanced featuring a monocounter 12-hour chronograph at 6, day-date-month apertures between 10 and 2, a power reserve indicator at 12 o'clock and a black and off-white minute rail track fitted with luminescent markers. Additionally, the monocounter features a clever night/day indicator at the bottom.

The Movement

With the same beating heart as its white dial counterpart, the new black dial version of the 5960/1A is powered by the Patek Philippe automatic calibre H 28-520 IRM QA 24H with flyback chronograph and annual calendar. Composed of 456 parts, 14 bridges and 40 jewels, this automatic movement provides a power reserve of 55 hours when fully wound while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph. The chronograph calibre is based on the venerable column-wheel principle for controlling the start/stop commands. However, it differs from classic Patek Philippe column-wheel chronographs by virtue of a remarkable innovation: the clamps do not control the engagement of a lever mounted clutch wheel with the chronograph train but instead act on a disk clutch that transmits —chronograph running— or interrupts —chronograph stopped— the power between the fourth wheel and the chronograph hand. This is a highly reliable solution that makes it possible to use the chronograph hand as a continuously running seconds hand without affecting the rate accuracy of the watch.

On the Wrist & Pricing

On the wrist, the watch wears slightly smaller than a 40.5 mm watch due to its black dial and extremely sporty. We might very well like this iteration much better than the white dial one. While the watch is also quite elegant at the same time, its red accents against the ebony black dial make it look very young and modern. A fascinating new timepiece combining two of our favorite complications: the annual calendar meets the chronograph.

Sticker Price $51,031 USD. For more info on Patek click here.