Baselworld 2011 was characterised more by strongly increased sales than by an overall abundance of new models. There were few stunning releases and no particularly clear trends, apart from the welcome return to classic and simple watches. Patek Philippe thus particularly stood out by presenting a wealth of top-rate new watches for both men and women, including a number of extremely complicated models. My personal watchmaker's choice quite naturally fell on the most complex of them all : reference 5208P.

The renown of the Geneva-based manufacturer is mainly due to its time-honoured mastery of complicated movements – and yet Patek Philippe still succeeds in surprising and aweing us by pushing back the limits of what is deemed humanly reasonable.

Three major complications are united within this new reference. The perfectly integrated minute repeater mechanism strikes the hours, quarters and minutes. Collectors unanimously appreciate the powerful and crystal-clear tone of the Patek Philippe striking mechanisms, and the silence of the mechanism moving freely between each hammer blow. It is in itself certainly the most difficult complication to make – witness the limited number of watch manufacturers capable of achieving this feat.

This first complication is enriched with a single-pusher column- wheel chronograph – a mechanism that is also extremely complex when taken individually. Coupled with the minute repeater, it is simply brilliant. To put things simply, the energy is transmitted from the base movement to the chronograph via the mainplate – but in this case the entire surface of the latter is occupied by the striking mechanism and could not therefore enable traditional transmission through the movement. In order to ensure control of the overall thickness of the movement, the engineers and watchmakers thereby used their experience of Calibre CHR 27-525PS – the world's thinnest split-second column- wheel movement – and of its horizontal coupling clutch.

Not content with having successfully associated these two first complications, the movement design engineers of the 5208 decided to add yet another layer of complexity in the shape of an instantaneous window-type display perpetual calendar. Managing to combine the disc display of the perpetual calendar with the chronograph, finding sufficient energy to drive this additional weight, and ensuring a readable set of indications on the dial, are all significant accomplishments conveying spectacular technical mastery.

It would of course be impossible to give a detailed description here of the entire set of qualities of the 5208P, but it is certainly worth noting that it is driven by a self-winding movement equipped with the new Pulsomax escapement and its famous Spiromax balance-spring in silinvar; and that the entire mechanism is fitted into a 42 mm-diameter platinum case that makes no concessions in regard to the aesthetic and quality criteria of the Manufacture.

All of which does much to explain Patek Philippe's supremacy in the field of Grand Complication models and fully justifies the brand's unique place in the hearts of all devotees of fine watchmaking.