Patek Philippe Chronographs Guide: 5172, 5905, 5980 and 5990 Compared

Patek Philippe makes chronographs in four families, and the reference number tells you which. The 5172 is the classic manual-wind chronograph in a round gold case; the 5905 is a self-winding flyback chronograph with an annual calendar; the 5980 is the Nautilus chronograph with a single counter at 6; and the 5990 is the Nautilus Travel Time chronograph with a second time zone. Above them sit the Grand Complications: the 5270 perpetual calendar chronograph, the 5204 split-seconds perpetual and the 5370 split-seconds. This guide sets out what each reference does, the calibres behind them, the sizes, how they compare on the wrist, dealer prices in 2026 and what to check before buying. Bizak & Co. sources every one of them to order; the Patek Philippe Complications collection lists the configurations we can seek.

Last reviewed on September 21, 2026 by Filip Biczak. Prices are dated observations, not quotes.

Which Patek Philippe chronograph references are there?

Sources: the Patek Philippe collection pages for current references and specifications, and the Patek Philippe Seal page for the standard every chronograph calibre above is finished and regulated to.

What is the Patek Philippe 5172G?

The 5172G-001 is the reference most people mean by "Patek chronograph": a round 41 mm white gold case with stepped, three-tier lugs, a blue dial with applied Arabic numerals and syringe hands, two registers and a tachymeter scale, driven by the hand-wound calibre CH 29-535 PS. That movement, introduced in 2009, is Patek's own column-wheel chronograph with a horizontal clutch and a 65-hour power reserve; it replaced the Lemania-based calibres of the 5070 and earlier references. The 5172 replaced the 5170 in 2019 and grew from 39.4 mm to 41 mm, and Patek later added the 5172G-010 with a rose-gilt opaline (salmon) dial. Compared with the 5170, the 5172 has a vintage-flavoured dial and a larger case; the 5170, made in yellow, white and rose gold and platinum between 2010 and 2019, is the cleaner, smaller watch and is now bought pre-owned.

What does the 5905 annual calendar chronograph do?

The 5905 combines a flyback chronograph with Patek's annual calendar, which needs a single correction each year at the end of February. Day, date and month sit in apertures across the top of the dial, a day-and-night indicator sits inside the 60-minute counter at 6, and the flyback lets you restart the chronograph with one press while it is running. The calibre CH 28-520 QA 24H is self-winding with a vertical clutch, so the chronograph can run continuously without wearing the movement. Launched in platinum in 2015, the 5905 came to rose gold and then, in 2021, to steel on an integrated bracelet as the 5905/1A-001 with an olive green dial, which made it the entry point to a complicated Patek chronograph. At 42 mm it is the largest watch on this page.

5980 vs 5990: which Nautilus chronograph?

The 5980 is the purer design: the Nautilus dial with one counter added, and the 2006 original in steel is the collector's version. The 5990 adds a genuine travelling function, with a second hour hand that hides under the first when you are at home and two pushers on the left of the case that jump the local hour forward or back. The 5990's dial is busier, and its steel versions are still in production, which keeps them easier to source than a steel 5980. Our 5990 guide covers the Travel Time watch in more depth.

How do the Patek chronograph calibres differ?

• CH 29-535 PS (5172, 5170). Hand-wound, column wheel, horizontal clutch, 28,800 vibrations per hour, about 65 hours of reserve. Patented details include instantaneous jumping minute counter and toothed clutch wheels with optimised profiles. The base for the 5270 (with perpetual calendar) and the 5370 and 5204 (with split-seconds).
• CH 28-520 (5905, 5960, 5980, 5990). Self-winding with a 21 ct gold central rotor, column wheel, vertical clutch, flyback, 45 to 55 hours of reserve. The vertical clutch means the chronograph seconds hand can run all day as a normal seconds hand without harm.
• Older Lemania-based calibres (5070, 3970, 5970). The CH 27-70 was based on a Lemania 2310 ebauche and finished by Patek; these watches are now vintage or neo-vintage purchases and are judged on originality and service history.

The practical difference for an owner: the hand-wound 29-535 watches need daily winding and reward the display back; the 28-520 watches are everyday watches whose chronograph can stay running.

How do Patek chronographs wear?

The 5172 at 41 mm sits flat because it is hand-wound and about 11.5 mm thick, and the stepped lugs bring the strap in close, so it wears like a 40 mm watch. The 5905 at 42 mm and the 5980 and 5990 at 40.5 mm with the Nautilus ears are noticeably larger on the wrist, and the Nautilus chronographs are about 12 mm thick with the vertical clutch stack. All three self-winding models are comfortable from about 16.5 cm (6.5 inches) of wrist; the 5172 works from about 16 cm. The Nautilus chronographs are rated to 120 m of water resistance; the 5172 and 5905 are dress watches with 30 m ratings.

How much is a Patek Philippe chronograph? Retail and dealer prices in 2026

• Retail. Patek's US list prices in recent years have placed the steel 5905/1A in the high US$50,000s to low US$60,000s, the 5172G in the high US$70,000s to low US$80,000s, and the Nautilus chronographs in gold well above US$100,000; the current figures are available from an authorised Patek retailer. Steel Nautilus references are allocated by relationship and rarely offered to new clients.
• Secondary market. Through 2025 and 2026 the 5172G and 5905 have traded near or a little below retail pre-owned, because they are available at retail with patience. The Nautilus chronographs trade at large premiums, the steel 5990 at roughly double retail and the discontinued steel 5980 higher again for full sets.
• Bizak catalogue asks. On 21 September 2026 our sourced catalogue listed the 5172G-001 at US$70,710 and the 5172G-010 salmon at US$74,160 brand new; the steel 5905/1A-001 at US$56,650 new and US$63,342 pre-owned, and the rose gold 5905R-010 at US$77,341; a pre-owned 5170R-001 at US$75,330; the 5980/1R-001 at US$236,900 and the 5980/60G-001 at US$190,540; and the steel 5990/1A-001 at US$124,063 and 5990/1A-011 at US$164,799. Among the Grand Complications, the 5270P-001 was listed at US$193,639, the 5204G-001 at US$239,475 and the 5370P-011 at US$213,725. All are sourced to order.

Those figures describe what we saw and will move. Ask for a dated quote for the exact reference, dial and set; our Patek Philippe price guide explains how to compare quotes across references.

Which Patek chronograph is the best buy?

For a first Patek chronograph, the 5172G is the reference to buy new: it is the house's own hand-wound chronograph in its classic form, it is obtainable at retail with a relationship, and its secondary price sits close to retail, so there is little premium to lose. The steel 5905/1A is the choice if you want a self-winding watch with a calendar you rarely touch. The 5980 and 5990 are Nautilus purchases first and chronograph purchases second, priced for the case rather than the movement; buy them because you want a Nautilus, and expect to pay the Nautilus premium. Full sets with the Certificate of Origin hold value best; the hand-wound watches in particular are judged on the movement's condition, so a service history matters.

Buying a used Patek chronograph: what to check

• Certificate of Origin. Movement and case numbers should match the certificate; for older watches Patek can issue an Extract from the Archives confirming the original configuration.
• Chronograph action. Start, stop and reset should be crisp with no hand jump on start; the reset should return the seconds hand exactly to zero. On the 5905, 5980 and 5990 test the flyback with the chronograph running.
• Calendar and time zone. On the 5905 advance the date through a month end with the correctors; on the 5990 press the left-side pushers and confirm the local hour hand jumps in whole hours without disturbing the minutes.
• Pushers and crown. Pushers should have even resistance; a mushy pusher on a 5172 or 5270 can mean a worn clutch or a lubrication problem, which is a Patek service.
• Dial and hands. Printed scales on the 5172 and 5905 should be sharp; the 5980 and 5990 dial relief should be even and the lume on the hands should match the markers.
• Case and bracelet. The stepped lugs of the 5172 should have crisp edges; Nautilus bezels should show a clean line between satin top and polished chamfer. Rounded edges mean polishing.
• Price against the band. A full-set Nautilus chronograph offered well under the market is the single most reliable warning sign.

Our authentication process describes what we inspect before dispatch.

Quick answers

How much is a Patek Philippe chronograph?

Bizak's sourced catalogue on 21 September 2026 ranged from US$56,650 for a new steel 5905/1A-001 and US$70,710 for a new 5172G-001 to US$314,149 for a new rose gold 5990/1R-001, all sourced to order. Retail figures are lower for the 5172 and 5905 and far lower for the Nautilus chronographs.

What is the difference between the Patek 5172 and 5170?

The 5172G replaced the 5170 in 2019 with a 41 mm case instead of 39.4 mm, stepped lugs, Arabic numerals and syringe hands. Both use the hand-wound calibre CH 29-535 PS.

Is the Patek Philippe 5980 discontinued?

The steel 5980/1A was discontinued in the 2010s. The reference continues in rose gold (5980/1R), two-tone (5980/1AR) and white gold (5980/60G); check Patek's collection page for current status.

What is the difference between the Nautilus 5980 and 5990?

Both are 40.5 mm Nautilus flyback chronographs with a single counter at 6. The 5990 adds a second time zone with two hour hands, day-night indicators and pushers on the left of the case, plus a pointer date at 12; the 5980 has a simple date at 3.

Does Patek Philippe make its own chronograph movements?

Yes. The self-winding CH 28-520 arrived in 2006 and the hand-wound CH 29-535 PS in 2009; earlier Patek chronographs used Lemania-based calibres finished in-house.

Request a Patek Philippe chronograph sourcing quote

Tell us the reference, metal, dial, preferred year range, condition and whether the full set is required, plus your budget and timing, through our sourcing enquiry form. We confirm the specific watch, photographs, certificate and final price before you commit. Catalogue entries: 5172G-001 blue dial, 5172G-010 salmon dial, 5905/1A-001 steel, 5980/1R-001 rose gold, 5990/1A-001 steel; browse the Complications collection, the 5980 collection, the 5990 collection, or sell or trade your Patek Philippe.

Related reading: Nautilus 5990 guide · Nautilus 5726 annual calendar guide · Patek Philippe price guide · Rolex Daytona 126500LN guide.