Patek help please

[sub2004]

Hi Friends

Can anyone please give me any information on Patek Philippe Calatrava 5196J, manual wound subsidiary secs in yellow gold. Stunny watch.

I can not find any reviews of this watch. I wanted to know is it good (subjective i know...), accuracy, quality, movement, finish etc.

I went to pick up the box for my panerai as the watch will be in a little plastic bag at the airport for me next week. While doing some eye candy gazing, i saw the Patek and tried it, absolutely blew my mind (and the price blew me away too...) but i thought i would seek my fellow TRF friends opinion on this holy grail.

Any help appreciated.

Thank you

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by sub2004

Hi Friends

Can anyone please give me any information on Patek Philippe Calatrava 5196J, manual wound subsidiary secs in yellow gold. Stunny watch.

I can not find any reviews of this watch. I wanted to know is it good (subjective i know...), accuracy, quality, movement, finish etc.

I went to pick up the box for my panerai as the watch will be in a little plastic bag at the airport for me next week. While doing some eye candy gazing, i saw the Patek and tried it, absolutely blew my mind (and the price blew me away too...) but i thought i would seek my fellow TRF friends opinion on this holy grail.

Any help appreciated.

Thank you

Hi Don,

Your best bet would be Partridge Jewellers on Queen Street....on the opposite pavement as Mansor's and just a little way up.

They are the only AD for Patek in NZ. Go see Vernoica...tell her I sent you. She's a fine lady (no cleavage, sorry to disappoint!! ) but she knows her watches well.

Good luck - JJ

[padi56]

Well for myself not a huge Patek fan,now IMHO there are now quite a few brands that have now and perhaps surpassed there quality.But Patek still has the image,and make very fine watches,much the same as quite a few more other brands.
There is a disscussion on TZ below.

http://forums.timezone.com/index.php...o=783190&rid=0

Just my opinions remember......

I have looked very hard at buying a PP myself, and I know it's easy to get caught up in the moment and the name/reputation of the company.

Certainly Patek as a company has made a lot of very good watches over the years but as with Rolex, I think you are paying a premium for the name. In other words the prices are very steep for what you get. I'm not bashing either brand (before someone accuses me of it) and I'm not comparing them other than to say that they each have their respective strengths but both brands are, in my view, surpassed by others who do more for less.

Having said that, I am a fan of their very simple watches like this one, and the 5119 (with the hobnail bezel). The 5119 is the replacement for the 3119, and I mention this because the 215PS movement is also in the 3119 (with a case diameter of 33.5mm) so you will have a lot of empty space in the 37mm case of the 5196. Here is the 5119 fo reference:




The classic models that evoke the older Pateks are those that I like very much. The 5196 in question is similar in style to this one in an advertisement for a restoration company - this is the one PP that I would love to have:



I certainly prefer the 5196 case design over something like the 5107, as I am not fond of crown guards on a dress watch.

I don't think that timekeeping should be any different than most, so I would not expect it to be much outside COSC specs if at all. Please keep in mind this is not a watch you want to get wet as it appears to have a snap on case back, so the 25m water rating should be taken with a very large grain of salt.

The case finishing of any PP I've handled has been great - not the best but great. The movement finishing is something I think they have slipped on, and if you check my thread on Pillipe Dufour you will see some comparisons in one of the links. I don't know what PP calibre this was but I was not impressed with what I saw.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=8779

So my bottom line is that I see other makers where the "bang for the buck" is much better, so I don't own a PP....yet. For you, if it's what you want, get it and make sure you post some pictures.

[sub2004]

Thanks for the help friends.

I agree with the statement that its easy to get caught up with the brand and history. As soon as i strapped it on my hand i had dellusions of grandeur. I guess the name just evokes those feelings.

I agree also that i should not be hasty, i better read up and make sure this is what i want.

But it was an awesome watch. I never really knew what understated elegance felt like till i tried on the pp. wow....


cheers

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by sub2004

Thanks for the help friends.

I agree with the statement that its easy to get caught up with the brand and history. As soon as i strapped it on my hand i had dellusions of grandeur. I guess the name just evokes those feelings.

I agree also that i should not be hasty, i better read up and make sure this is what i want.

But it was an awesome watch. I never really knew what understated elegance felt like till i tried on the pp. wow....


cheers

Hi Don,

Thanks for the call this morning. We'll catch up one of these days and meet up at Mansor's for some watch gazing!!

Cheers - JJ

[sub2004]

Definitely JJ! Coffee at BB's cafe so we can sit and stare at the displays and then in we go to oogle at the rollies.

But i must warn you i am in love with Patek now. Once the panerai honeymoon is over, it will be serious pp hunting season, unless i get the JLC for 40% of msrp. But like i mentioned to CJ, in my heart i want the pp, getting th JLC would mean i would just stave off the cravings but want the pp anyway. Unless hmmmm.... you get me a stunner deal on the wg daytona on strap!!!

[mailman]

Originally Posted by sub2004

Definitely JJ! Coffee at BB's cafe so we can sit and stare at the displays and then in we go to oogle at the rollies.

But i must warn you i am in love with Patek now. Once the panerai honeymoon is over, it will be serious pp hunting season, unless i get the JLC for 40% of msrp. But like i mentioned to CJ, in my heart i want the pp, getting th JLC would mean i would just stave off the cravings but want the pp anyway. Unless hmmmm.... you get me a stunner deal on the wg daytona on strap!!!

1) JJ doesn't drink coffee. He's a tea-toatler.

2) The tosser loathes watches on straps. The only straps he likes are the ones that smack him on his arse when he's been a baaaaaaahhhd boy

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by mailman

1) JJ doesn't drink coffee. He's a tea-toatler.

2) The tosser loathes watches on straps. The only straps he likes are the ones that smack him on his arse when he's been a baaaaaaahhhd boy