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Salmon dials have long held a special place in watch collecting. Not quite pink, not quite copper, the tone strikes a delicious balance between warmth and formality — subtle enough to be elegant but distinctive enough to catch the eye. And when Patek Philippe uses it, the results tend to feel extra refined.
Unlike some brands that embrace salmon as a trend-driven color, Patek deploys it sparingly, almost ceremoniously. Which is part of what makes each salmon-dialed Patek feel special. Here, we’re looking at four standout references that take the signature hue in different directions: the time-only Calatrava 5196P, the vintage-inspired Chronograph 5172G, the art deco Perpetual Calendar 5320G, and the flagship 5270P Perpetual Calendar Chronograph.
Salmon Dial Origins and Manufacturing
While the term “salmon dial” may feel familiar today, it’s actually a relatively recent addition to the horological lexicon. In decades past, these dials were more traditionally referred to as “gilded dials” (or cadran doré in French), referencing the process by which their distinctive pinkish hue was achieved. The technique at the heart of it all is electroplating, a method invented in Italy in 1805. This process involves depositing a thin layer of gold onto a metal dial, typically brass. It wasn’t long before early examples began appearing in 19th-century pocket watches, almost always cased in rose gold for tonal harmony.
By the 1920s, however, watchmakers began to gravitate toward contrast. Rose gold electroplated dials started appearing inside platinum and white gold cases, a look that became especially popular during the 1940s. Still, these were uncommon next to silvered dials, and many brands, including Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin, reserved them for special commissions or VIP clients. Even today, a properly executed salmon dial remains rare.
There’s also nuance in the terminology. The word “salmon” is imprecise and not rooted in historical watchmaking vocabulary. It’s thought to have emerged sometime in the 1990s or early 2000s as the color gained traction among collectors. Most heritage brands — including Patek Philippe — don’t refer to their dials as salmon at all. Instead, they stick with more traditional phrasing. In Patek’s case, the official designation is “opaline rose-gilt,” a nod to both the tone and the traditional technique used to produce it.
The specific shade of a salmon dial is determined by the composition of the gold used during the electroplating process. 1N, 2N, 3N, 4N, and 5N gold refer to different shades and compositions of 18 karat gold (75% gold content). These designations indicate the proportion of copper and other metals mixed with gold, which affects the alloy’s color, with 1N being pale yellow and 5N a deep red. Traditionally, the salmon hue is derived from rosy 3N gold to give the dial its characteristic warm pink color, though 2N gold is sometimes used as well.
Though some modern brands may take liberties with the term, applying “salmon” to any vaguely pink or coppery dial, purists generally agree that true salmon dials are rooted in the 3N formulation and executed using traditional electroplating techniques.
Patek Philippe continues to embrace this traditional approach, even if it doesn’t advertise it loudly. Their opaline rose-gilt dials aren’t trend-driven novelties but a continuation of a quietly elegant tradition.
Calatrava 6196P-001
Unveiled at Watches and Wonders 2025, the new Calatrava 6196P-001 is Patek Philippe’s latest exercise in quiet luxury. Cased in platinum with a polished bezel and satin-finished flanks, it measures 38mm across and 9.33mm thick — ideal proportions for a modern dress watch. The caseback offers a view of the beautifully finished hand-wound Caliber 30-255 PS, offering a 65-hour power reserve.
The real draw here is, of course, its dial: opaline rose-gilt with anthracite “obus” markers, dauphine hands, and a small seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. It’s a textbook example of how Patek does salmon dials. The hue plays off the polished platinum case and chocolate brown alligator strap flawlessly.
In classic Patek fashion, there’s also a small diamond discreetly set into the caseband at 6 o’clock, a subtle signal of the platinum construction.
Chronograph 5172G-010
Introduced in 2022, the white gold 5172G-010 brought a salmon dial to one of Patek Philippe’s most beloved chronographs. It’s the second iteration of the 5172, which replaced the 5070 in 2019 and quickly earned collector praise for its retro charm — from the syringe hands and applied Arabic numerals to the stepped lugs and guilloched “tasti tondi” pushers that recall the mid-century Ref. 1463.
The salmon dial amplifies the vintage aesthetic, home to a duo of subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock, in addition to a tachymeter scale around the periphery. Inside, and visible via the sapphire crystal caseback, is the manual-wind CH 29-535 PS. Released in 2019, the movement is a column wheel chronograph with horizontal clutch, six patented innovations, and 65 hours of power reserve.
While chronographs are typically considered sportier territory, the 5172G-010 leans more elegant thanks to its white gold case, opaline rose-gilt dial, and shiny brown alligator strap.
Launched alongside the 5172G-010 in 2022, the 5320G-011 is another modern Patek Philippe reference that draws deeply from the brand’s archives. With a case design modeled after a 1945 perpetual calendar, the white gold 5320 features three-tier lugs, a box-style sapphire crystal, and a convex crystal profile that keeps the 40mm watch slim on the wrist at just 11.13mm thick.
The signature opaline rose-gilt dial is paired with anthracite syringe hands and luminous white gold Arabic numerals. Calendar indications are laid out clearly: day and month sit in twin apertures at 12 o’clock, a moonphase display and date subdial occupy the 6 o’clock position, flanked by circular apertures that display day/night and leap year cycle.
This Patek Grand Complication is powered by the automatic Caliber 26-330 S Q, offering a 35- to 45-hour power reserve, and is fitted with a shiny brown alligator strap.
Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 5270P-001
Introduced in 2018 and discontinued in 2022, the 5270P-001 marked a notable departure from earlier versions of Patek Philippe’s flagship perpetual calendar chronograph. It was the first 5270 rendered in platinum — and the first standard-production model to feature a rose-gilt dial. (A salmon version had appeared before, but only as a white gold limited edition for the brand’s Grand Exhibition in London.)
Other updates included the switch from baton indexes to Arabic numerals and the use of dark grey hands and markers, all of which gave the watch a more striking look that resonated with collectors.
The rest remains true to the 5270 lineage, which is to say a 41mm case size (12.4mm thick), Caliber CH 29-535 PS Q, and a dial layout that combines chronograph and perpetual calendar displays, including day, month, moonphase, day/night, and leap year. This being a platinum Patek, there’s the customary diamond embedded into the case at 6 o’clock.
Patek Philippe’s Take on Salmon Dials
For all the chatter around salmon dials in recent years, few do it as well as Patek Philippe. These aren’t timepieces chasing trends but a long-standing tradition that pre-dates “salmon” altogether. While the official term may be “opaline rose-gilt,” the emotional appeal of a salmon dial remains the same: warmth, rarity, and an almost universal charm.
Whether the pared-down 6196P or the heavyweight 5270P, these four references show just how versatile the color can be, and why, when it comes to salmon dials, Patek Philippe still sets the standard.
