What We Know
Today at Watches and Wonders, Patek Philippe introduces its first Grand Complication in the Cubitus lineup — and it’s got shutter shades. Following up from the first platinum execution of the Cubitus during its original debut in 2024, with its grand date, moonphase, and day of the week indications, the 5840P-001 continues the pairing of platinum and extra complication in the Cubitus. And most interestingly, the iconic ribbed dial pattern of the Nautilus and Cubitus has been partially stripped away via laser-cutting to reveal a few new developments — the first skeletonized Cubitus, and also the first shaped movement (finally) for the Cubitus line.
The case remains the same in diameter as the other large models, measuring 45mm in diameter. Despite the more complicated caliber inside, the thickness only marginally increases from the other platinum iteration, from 9.6mm to a still very nice 10mm height. And as is tradition with platinum-cased Pateks, a diamond is present. On the Cubitus, it comes in the form of a baguette-cut diamond set into the bezel at 6 o’clock.
The case here is largely the same, so all of what’s new to digest is in the dial and movement. Preserving the blue and platinum motif of the first platinum Cubitus, the dial is now symmetrical, thanks to the three subdials for the perpetual calendar indications. At 9 o’clock is the subdial for day of the week and a twenty-four hour indicator, at 3 oclock is the subdial for both the month and leap year. The 6 o’clock subdial shows the date as well as a moonphase, actually the first model in Patek’s regular collection to feature a more oversized moonphase, inspired by the ones created for the brand’s 175th anniversary 5575G and 7175R worldtime limited editions. Rather than using a two-moon depiction, the larger moonphase display uses only one moon that completes one rotation for every lunar cycle instead of two cycles. The moon is depicted in a photorealistic style, with black metalization and laser engraving to achieve the effect.
On the front, the slats give a peek of the skeletonized and shaped caliber 28-28 Q SQU inside. While all previous Cubitus models featured a round movement (a move deemed controversial by many), this first shaped Cubitus caliber is not a new movement entirely; it’s an evolution of the classic caliber 240 Q, most notably used in the 5140G and 5740 Nautilus Perpetual Calendar. It offers a power reserve of 48 hours, beats at 21,600 VpH, and features a Gyromax balance and a Spiromax balance spring. A few adaptations had to be made, of course. The bridges now conform to the silhouette of the Cubitus, and the dramatic ribbing (or lack thereof) is even more evident through the sapphire caseback. The mechanisms connecting the recessed correctors on the side of the case to the caliber had to be adjusted to account for the new positions on the square case, and of course, the moonphase mechanism has been updated as well.
The caliber is executed in a monochrome rhodium-plated colorway, contrasted by heat-blued screws and a microrotor with hand-engraving of the Calatrava motif and blue varnishing also done by hand. In a clever touch, the rubies for the pivots are swapped for clear sapphires to double down on the monochromatic look. The slats of the bridges provide plenty of real estate for anglage.
The new Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Skeleton 5840P-001 is priced at CHF 150,000.
What We Think
While a Cubitus perpetual calendar was certainly inevitable, I think that many will agree with me that the skeletonization (and execution thereof) is the highly surprising part. Yes, we finally have a shaped movement by way of adapting the caliber 240, though it would have been really nice to have taken the opportunity to introduce a fully brand-new perpetual calendar with big date to continue that motif from the first platinum Cubitus. If the Cubitus collection was already polarizing, the skeletonized dial here would certainly be even more so — while I love the skeletonized motif of the movement bridges on the back, I’m not sure how I feel about them on the front. We’ll certainly have more thoughts once we get a chance to see these in person this week, so stay tuned for more on these and the other Patek releases of the show.
The Basics
Brand: Patek Philippe
Model: Cubitus Perpetual Calendar Skeleton
Reference Number: 5840P-001
Diameter: 45mm
Thickness: 10mm
Case Material: Platinum
Dial Color: Blue
Indexes: Applied, White Gold
Lume: Yes
Water Resistance: 30 meters
Strap/Bracelet: Cordura composite material with a textile motif
The Movement
Caliber: 28-28 Q SQU
Functions: Hours, minutes, perpetual calendar, moonphase
Diameter: 28.5mm
Thickness: 5.04mm
Power Reserve: 48 hours
Winding: Automatic, microrotor
Frequency: 21,600 VpH
Jewels: 27
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: CHF 150,000
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No.
For more, click here.
