Replica Patek Philippe Grand Complication Titanium Minute Repeater Reference 5208T-010 Watch Review

Patek Philippe stole the show with its replica Patek Philippe Grand Complication reference 5208T-010, a self-winding minute repeater, monopusher chronograph and instantaneous perpetual calendar, making it one of the most complicated watches to be made by Patek, next to the Grandmaster Chime. The timepiece sold for a staggering 6.2 million Swiss Francs, more than six times its modest presale estimate.

The replica Patek Philippe Grand Complication chronograph Reference 5208T-010 is a self-winding minute repeater, monopusher chronograph and instantaneous perpetual calendar, which means it's unbelievably complex. For instance, the perpetual calendar movement takes into account different lengths of months as well as leap years. The one-of-a-kind hand-finished movement is made up of an incredible 719 parts, and the blue checkerboard carbon pattern dial was customized specifically for the auction.

As part of the deal, the winning bidder also won a tour of Patek's watchmaking workshops, museum and a private lunch with its president, Thierry Stern. While it's complicated on the inside, the watch's aesthetic has a clarity and readability that is extremely modern. In particular, the date is highly prominent, and the dials are just lovely and elegantly executed. I love the way the year is slotted into the right-hand minutes dial and then the hour counter on the left and the minutes on the right.

It packs a huge amount of information into a beautiful dial. Replica Patek Philippe Grand Complication Titanium is typically used for sporty chronographs as it is incredibly lightweight and has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of all known elements, which makes it both extremely strong and durable. It's also resistant to corrosion, seawater and chlorine, as well as being scratchproof and hypoallergenic. Titanium isn't to everyone's taste as it can feel a bit light on the wrist.

Patek Philippe doesn't use titanium that often but at the 2013 Only Watch auction its ref. 5004 went for 2,950,000 euros. Their rarity makes them all the more desirable for collectors. What will be interesting is hearing how the sound of the minute repeater resonates in a titanium case. The case metal distorts the sound, so you get a different sound in platinum and gold casing and obviously titanium is a lot lighter. I've never heard a minute repeater in titanium.

It's such a difficult material to work with, particularly as Patek's standards demand such intricate case work. As previously mentioned, the use of titanium cleverly blends traditional craft, complication and modern aesthetic. But the ornate, hand guilloche work is also quite rare on a minute repeater, especially one with such a sporty, youthful feel to it. The gorgeous blue color in the dial and matching Cordura strap also adds to its youthful appeal. Thierry Stern himself is a fan of blue dials as they're easy to wear. Indeed, comparisons have been drawn between this model and one of Patek's earlier Only Watch offerings, the 2015 steel 5016A-010 Patek Philippe Grand Complication Minute Repeater Tourbillon Perpetual Calendar replica watch, which went for a record-breaking 7.3 million Swiss Francs. Blue seems to be the go-to colour for luxury watches right now, especially if this year's Baselworld offering is anything to go by. Interestingly, the watch is a Patek Philippe first in that it has a modified movement, a distinctive black rhodium plated finish and platinum hand-finished micro-rotor. Patek Philippe Grand Complication Blue Dial Chronograph Mens 5270G-019 Replica Watch, at a price of $189.00 from x-watch online store.