First presented in 2019 only four years after the polarizing release of the Patek Philippe Travel Time ref. 5524G Pilot’s watch, Patek Philippe presents a new version of the Alarm Travel Time ref. 5520 that is now equipped with a two-tone case in 18K rose gold featuring four 18K white gold pusher tubes —the cap of the tubes are in 18K pink gold and the tubes are barely visible— and a sunburst gray dial.
This grand complication adds a 24-hour alarm mechanism while displaying the time to which the alarm is set on a double aperture digitally. The alarm signal is struck by a hammer on a classic gong and to make this possible, Patek has developed a new integrated movement with four patent applications filed for the alarm mechanism. The new Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time ref. 5520RG like its predecessor in platinum is the result of five years of research and development.
Things to Know About the Watch
The new Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time ref. 5520RG-001 features an 18K rose gold case measuring 42.2 mm in diameter and 11.6 mm in thickness. This is the first time that a Patek chiming watch features a water-resistant case and for this particular model, the water resistance has been set to a depth of 30 meters.
The new ref. 5520RG features a classic gong that when the alarm is triggered, a hammer —visible through the display back— strikes a gong for up to 40 seconds with a frequency of 2.5 strikes per second —90 strikes in total. The alarm mechanism has its own, separate spring barrel that is wound with a crown at 4 o'clock.
The pusher at 2 o'clock turns the alarm ON or OFF. The small bell-shaped aperture directly beneath 12 o'clock indicates in white if the alarm is ON and appears black if the alarm is OFF. The respective pusher is embossed with a small bell symbol that has the same shape as the alarm ON/OFF indicator aperture. This pusher is endowed with the same interlock device as the two time-zone pushers.
Featuring a sunburst gray dial —more champagne color looking in person— all the alarm function indications are arranged in the upper half of the dial. The programmed alarm time is displayed in a double aperture beneath the 12 o'clock position and directly underneath it is the round aperture with the day/night indicator in white for the time from 6 am to 6 pm and blue for 6 pm to 6 am. Above the double aperture, there is a bell-shaped aperture indicating if the alarm is ON or OFF.
The crown at 4 o'clock must be pulled out to its intermediate position to adjust the alarm time in 15-minute steps by turning it in either direction. The display mechanism for the alarm time in hours and minutes drives a differential gear that constantly compares the preset alarm time with the current local time. A system that offsets mechanical play makes it possible to set the alarm strike with one-minute accuracy to the next quarter hour. For instance, at 12:14, the alarm can be set to 12:15. A patent application has been filed for this mechanism. At 6 o’clock, there is a subdial indicating the date along a scale from 1 thru 31.
With its technical appeal and elegance, the dial assures optimized readability and underscores its provenance in the aviators’ watch segment. The large applied Arabic numerals and the broad baton hands – all in white gold with a white Superluminova coating that is nice and bright. This new watch has by far the most powerful lume we have seen on any Patek Philippe watch.
The Movement
Turning the watch over reveals the in-house automatic movement Calibre AL 30-660 S C FUS composed of 574 parts and 52 jewels, this movement provides a power reserve of 52 hours when fully wound while beating at a frequency of 28,800 vph. This movement features a system that prevents damaging the movement as a result of incorrect manipulation. As soon as the alarm has stopped sounding, the ON/OFF indicator automatically switches to OFF. Now, the alarm cannot be set again before the strikework spring barrel has been fully rewound. Even though the movement is visible via the display case back, Patek also delivers the watch with an interchangeable solid case back for those who prefer to hide the movement.
On the Wrist & Price
On the wrist, the new Patek Philippe Alarm Travel Time ref. 5520RG-001 wears true to its size. The watch is delivered on a chestnut calfskin strap with a clevis prong buckle. Much nicer than its predecessor in platinum and has a grand complication that is extremely useful for those who like to use alarms when waking up.
Sticker Price USD 259,240. For more info on Patek Philippe click here.
