Muebles de Cocina en Palencia

Insight: Patek Philippe Celestial Ref. 6105G Compatible Movement



A spectacular exhibition of modern micromechanics.

At Watches & Wonders 2026, Patek Philippe's most eye-catching creation was undoubtedly the Celestial Sunrise/Sunset Watch Ref. 6105G-001. This astronomical timepiece, ten years in the making, represents a radical departure from its more conservative predecessor, the Ref. 6102, in both appearance and mechanics. replica swiss watches

Hidden within this 47mm white gold case is an unusual component that initially went unnoticed: a butterfly-shaped flexible cam-gear mechanism. This system, used for sunrise and sunset indication, showcases Patek Philippe's near-genius skill in flexible micromechanics.

Repairing What May Be Damaged

While sunrise/sunset watches remain relatively rare compared to other complications, their numbers seem greater than ever before. Their basic structure is largely the same: a cam and a follower working in tandem. Over time, the cam slowly rotates, causing the follower to move.

These systems, used in pairs, are used to display sunrise and sunset times, which change synchronously throughout the year.

So why repair something that doesn't appear broken? More specifically, since basic cams and followers are standard in traditional watchmaking, why use a complex, flexible system? European patent EP3740821B1, granted to Patek Philippe in early 2022, might offer an explanation.

This patent indicates that cams with pivot followers have an inherent flaw because the follower's circular motion doesn't accurately reflect the cam's profile. Therefore, the cam shape needs a correction factor to compensate for this geometric error.

Using a purely translational follower means that precise changes in the cam profile are directly displayed—thus simplifying the cam's geometry considerably.

Admittedly, I had previously overlooked this subtlety, but it seems to make sense. The greater the difference between the cam's minimum and maximum radii, the larger the correction factor.

Patek Philippe believed that using linear followers with a simpler cam profile meant the system could more easily adapt to different conditions around the world, whereas traditional systems required a complete rethinking of the gear ratios involved. luxury replica watches

Furthermore, there are classic problems such as pivot clearance, friction, and the need for numerous parts (each responsible for only one function)—all of which can be alleviated by using a flexible mechanism.


Today, flexible mechanisms are no longer a novelty in watchmaking; we've seen them used in oscillators, escapements, and even chronograph mechanisms. However, the special device hidden within the Patek Philippe 6105G watch pioneered a new approach in watchmaking, employing a self-compensating translational flexible mechanism.

Before understanding why Patek Philippe's structure is so unique, we first need to understand the parasitic displacement of flexible mechanisms. As the name suggests, parasitic displacement is an inherent flaw in all flexible mechanisms, and clever geometry can effectively mitigate this flaw.

All flexible mechanisms rely on thin, flexible blades to achieve a certain degree of movement. The image below illustrates a basic translational flexible mechanism (or, in French, a "flexible guide mechanism"). This simple device consists of two parallel leaf springs connected by a rigid block.

If a lateral force is applied to the slider, the two leaf springs deflect (bend), causing the slider to move laterally. However, as the leaf springs bend, the connecting rod length is shortened due to the S-shape of the springs, reducing the distance between the slider and the base.

Although this device theoretically allows only one degree of freedom (horizontal translation), the bending of the leaf springs restricts the slider to also move slightly downwards—an effect known as parasitic displacement.

The image below illustrates this effect more clearly. Fortunately, there is a mathematical relationship between the amount of horizontal motion and the amount of displacement λ, allowing engineers to accurately predict parasitic motion.

Since we can theoretically predict λ, there should be ways to compensate for it. A visual example is that two leaf springs of identical specifications (size, material) bend in parallel and behave identically.

By controlling the deflection, engineers can cleverly make the two parasitic displacements in specific parts of the mechanism cancel each other out. The diagram below illustrates a classic example of a compensated translational flexible mechanism, adapted from *The Art of Flexible Mechanism Design*.replica Harry Winston Ocean watches

The principle is to enable a reasonable linear translation of the moving module (end effector) between the fixed base and the stationary base. The key is connecting two pairs of series-connected blade springs in parallel. This forms an intermediate module connecting the base and the end effector. One blade spring connects the base to this intermediate module, and the other (series-connected) blade spring connects the intermediate module to the moving module.

The structure on the other side is symmetrical—the two pairs of components are connected in parallel. When a lateral force is applied to the moving block, all parasitic displacements are transferred to the intermediate block, causing it to rise slightly. This is called an internal degree of freedom, but strictly speaking, the displacement of the intermediate block is not significant in terms of the actuator's motion from the base to the end effector.

This is similar to early temperature compensation mechanisms: if a temperature change affects the balance spring in some way, an intentional opposing force is added to the balance wheel so that the two effects cancel each other out.

Therefore, when the intermediate block rises to compensate for the mirror deflection of the spring, the moving block moves along an almost perfect straight path. Especially for the precision-engineered single components manufactured by LIGA, any residual offset is suppressed.

Having experienced this connection method in real life, the effect is simply astonishing. Furthermore, even under strong compressive stress, this moving module maintains remarkable stability, while ordinary structures would have already bent and deformed under such conditions.

Returning to the exceptional components inside the Patek Philippe ref. 6105G watch, we immediately see some similarities. However, the internal structure of the Patek Philippe differs slightly from the basic compensated linear light guide. replica Patek Philippe Grand Complications


The end effector is actually a contact pressed against the cam. The intermediate block is wider and consists of two pairs of long springs. The contact is connected to the intermediate block via two parallel springs, and another pair of identical springs connects the intermediate block to the base.

Since we are discussing a sunrise/sunset indicator, the system employs a mirror-symmetric design and is operated by two cams working in tandem. As shown in the image below, the system has a considerable travel. The image above shows the sunrise indicator in this setup, where the sensor 38A is abutted against the maximum radius of the cam.

The lower system employs a similar kidney-shaped cam, its shape resembling a sunset. Contact 38B rests against the cam's minimum radius. Like all cam-contact mechanisms, this mechanism is clearly pre-tensioned.

The cam rotates slowly throughout the year, engaging the rack and pinion to indicate the changing times of sunrise and sunset. The central slider consistently moves towards the center of the movement, while the pinion moves in a straight line, engaging the pinion.

The blade spring is only 0.48 mm thick and is manufactured using LIGA lithography. This ensures extremely high manufacturing precision for the components—crucial for flexible mechanisms.

Other Parasitic Shifts in Compliant Mechanisms
The special mechanical structure inside the Patek Philippe 6105G watch requires a compensatory method to suppress parasitic shifts. Without this ingenious device, the gear and rack engagement would not be reliable.

The Aquanaut Travel Time watch (model 5650), launched in 2017, was Patek Philippe's first timepiece to feature a flexible time correction mechanism cleverly concealed within the skeletonized dial. This flexible system, constructed as a single piece of stainless steel, corrects for home time via a double-cross-pivot linkage.Franck Muller replica watches

In this structure, parasitic displacement is less critical because the meshing part is essentially a spring-loaded finger structure that ratchets on a ratchet-like mechanism. While parasitic displacement does exist on the cross-pivots, the system functions correctly as long as the approximate trajectory is followed.

In watchmaking, the most significant application of flexible mechanisms is perhaps in oscillators, where suppressing parasitic shifts is particularly crucial. The oscillator's virtual center of rotation needs to remain stationary during oscillation, and parasitic shifts are directly related to isochronism defects.

Methods for suppressing parasitic frequency shifts in oscillators are conceptually similar to the linear compensation used in the Patek Philippe 6105G watch, but they also have their own set of problems. Mechanically bent oscillators remain an interesting but slowly developing area of ​​research. In conclusion, Patek Philippe's use of a flexible mechanical device is a first in watchmaking, yet it received little attention at Watches & Wonders. While the TAG Heuer Evergraph was hailed as one of the most eye-catching new products at the show from a mechanical perspective, Patek Philippe's 6105 is a rising star in terms of innovation.

The advantages of this flexible structure are obvious, and if its reliability is proven, we are likely to see it again in other calendar-related mechanisms. However, it may not be suitable for rapidly changing indications, as flexible mechanisms still have limitations in terms of range of motion (travel).

In this case, the sunrise/sunset mechanism is a perfect proof of concept because the changes in the cam profile are not as drastic (e.g., compared to the worm gear cam of a retrograde mechanism), and the movement is slow and gradual. patek philippe replica watches