Patek 5107 3 Month Review

[Mort]

It has been three months since I purchased my Patek Calatrava and I have to say first that I feel lucky to been able to purchase such a nice time piece. I have been wanting to buy a Patek Philippe for several years. The main thing that held me back was the cost and if I tried to go super budget what I would end up with.

The History

As most of you know, I really like dress watches, especially those that are gold. This fits the bill. In my seveal searchings over the years, most of the Pateks I found were not what I wanted in my choice of Pateks. At first I went towards the vintage one thinking I would find a deal. What I found was most were not up to the standards of my vintage Omega Connie. The ones that were nicer cost as much as a newer one. So I started looking at nicer pre owned Pateks.

The Watch



In my searches I was looking at the sales board on timezone and came across this watch. It was just what I wanted as far as a Patek. Most everything I looked at previously was either too small 33 to 35mm or was manual wind which I would not of minded, or did not have a date on it, which for the money I would shell out, I really felt the watch needed. This had it all.

The 5107 is 37mm, Automatic wind, has a date and an exhibition back. I got a pretty good deal on the watch and it came complete with everything. The certificate of origin, all the paperwork, both the original box and the soft travel pouch. It also came with an extra dark brown strap which I had put on the watch because the one that was on it is black.

As far as the watch itself goes, it is a very well built watch. Even though it is thin, especially compaired to a Rolex, it is very heavy. The watch has the 315 SC movement that has been around for atleast 20 years and Patek has used it and variations of it in many of their watches. The 315 is a 21,800 bph instead of the 28,800 that most watches are. I still have not figured out if that means the wacth is actually running slower that my other watches as far as beats. I do know as far as accuracy it seems pretty good. It runs about neck and neck with my 3 year old DJ and my new Cartier Santos. Over the years I have tried to not be concerned with second to second accuaracy on any of my watches. The rotor is winds in one direction, but will still rotate in either direction. On any of my other automatics that have see through backs, the rotor seems to kind of stick depending on which way the watch is turned. The Patek rotor spins very easy and smooth. When I sometimes hand wind the watch, I have never felt a smoother winding mech on any other watch. It seems to have no resistance and is very easy to turn.



Overall

In the months that I have had this watch, it has seen more wrist time than any of my other watches. I seem to wear it all the time. I have never fallen to the thing that you have to be dressed in a suit to wear a watch on a strap. Strap watches have be around a lot longer than watches on bracelets for the most part. The Patek seems to really fit my wrist and my arm size as well. In these days of watches growing from 36mm to 42mm and beyond, this still seems pretty good for me.

The Patek is not a watch you would wear to be noticed. It does not stick out like my DD does nor seem extreme like my 51mm Cartier Santos does. To most people it looks like a Pulsar until look at it closer. That is what I like about the watch. It is understated for what it is.

As I sure most can tell the 5107 has become my favorite watch running equally to my DD. There is only one thing that I do not like about the watch. With the gold being heavy, it is also soft and scratches real easy. Even being pretty thin, I have not banged the watch up, but it has gotten several scratches on the bezel from things as mondaine as un packing pens from card board boxes. So down the line when it gets a service, it will have to be buffed. The scratches are fairly noticable especailly under the right lighting conditions. It attribute it mostly to the bezel being smooth. I am sure smooth bezels on 18k Rolex's scratch easy as well.



In closing, I have to say, I am happy with the Patek and if I ever have the chance or the money down the line to get a more complicated one, I will. I know this is a Rolex forum, so thanks to those who allow a non Rollie to be reviewed here. On the other hand, it seems most of us here like other brands as well and I look forward to other reviews from members here.Thanks.