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[njlam]

My only Patek is a 5096 Calatrava that my wife gave me as an engagement gift 30 years ago (30th wedding anniversary is next week). To give you a sense of how long ago that was, this Calatrava is 33mm.

Three kids and two careers later, I now have the time/resources to prioritize watches again and am looking to add some Patek's to my small collection.

Fortunately, I do not find the Nautilus or Aquanaut models attractive, so that is not going to be an issue. I have always liked the 5270 and the models preceding it (5970/3970/etc), and know it is a difficult get.

Do any of the experts on here have any advice on getting some of the newer models like the 5320, 5326 or older favorites like the 5040?

All advice/recommendations welcome. Thanks.

[GGGMT]

Originally Posted by njlam

My only Patek is a 5096 Calatrava that my wife gave me as an engagement gift 30 years ago (30th wedding anniversary is next week). To give you a sense of how long ago that was, this Calatrava is 33mm.

Three kids and two careers later, I now have the time/resources to prioritize watches again and am looking to add some Patek's to my small collection.

Fortunately, I do not find the Nautilus or Aquanaut models attractive, so that is not going to be an issue. I have always liked the 5270 and the models preceding it (5970/3970/etc), and know it is a difficult get.

Do any of the experts on here have any advice on getting some of the newer models like the 5320, 5326 or older favorites like the 5040?

All advice/recommendations welcome. Thanks.

What a terrific story and keepsake you have with your family. And a perfect time to grow the collection.

I love to 5320! It trends pretty well on the Gray market. I also love to 5524, which I just bought on the gray market. Stunning, amazing pricing at this point in my view.




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[ButtButt]

Originally Posted by njlam

My only Patek is a 5096 Calatrava that my wife gave me as an engagement gift 30 years ago (30th wedding anniversary is next week). To give you a sense of how long ago that was, this Calatrava is 33mm.

Three kids and two careers later, I now have the time/resources to prioritize watches again and am looking to add some Patek's to my small collection.

Fortunately, I do not find the Nautilus or Aquanaut models attractive, so that is not going to be an issue. I have always liked the 5270 and the models preceding it (5970/3970/etc), and know it is a difficult get.

Do any of the experts on here have any advice on getting some of the newer models like the 5320, 5326 or older favorites like the 5040?

All advice/recommendations welcome. Thanks.

What you can get probably depends a lot on your location/relationship with the AD that you work with. For me I was offered the 5320 salmon which I didn't ask for so I passed, but I did ask for the 5326 as soon as it launched but still haven't been able to get one.

If you're going grey the 5320 should be available at a nice discount. The 5326 I believe is still over retail.

[IGY]

1) 5524 (or pre owned 7234 depending on your wrist size).
2) 5172 (available below RRP pre owned)
3) 5320 (similar case to 5172 which is perhaps why I like them both; available below RRP pre owned)
and a newer reference 4) 6007

These are my favourites. (It is great that you are not chasing the hype watches.)

[vitalsigns]

If you're really interested, I'd go straight to the 5270. I don't think it's particularly hard to get. There's something special about a Patek PCC.

[njlam]

Originally Posted by vitalsigns

If you're really interested, I'd go straight to the 5270. I don't think it's particularly hard to get. There's something special about a Patek PCC.

Really? I was told at the Patek Boutique in Vegas that you have to complete an application to get on the list for the 5270. Not true?

I also noticed that the 5320 seems to be available on the grey market below MSRP....how is that possible?

[londonpilgrim]

Originally Posted by njlam

Really? I was told at the Patek Boutique in Vegas that you have to complete an application to get on the list for the 5270. Not true?

I also noticed that the 5320 seems to be available on the grey market below MSRP....how is that possible?

I was offered a 5320g from my AD last week (though have had 2 other PPC pieces in recently so that was me done for a few months), so you can get one reasonably easily now. I would get it pre-owned though; wait a year or so and save yourself 10k+.

[codecow]

Originally Posted by vitalsigns

If you're really interested, I'd go straight to the 5270. I don't think it's particularly hard to get. There's something special about a Patek PCC.

+1 to this and a great pick. I’d get a used one in whatever metal you like and then set aside some money for the inevitable service.

[vitalsigns]

Originally Posted by njlam

Really? I was told at the Patek Boutique in Vegas that you have to complete an application to get on the list for the 5270. Not true?

I'm not aware that the 5270 is an application piece, but I'm also not in the market so I can't be sure.

My sense is that it's not a hard piece to get due to availability at below MSRP in the gray market (note: I'm not talking about the special pieces such as the salmon or green dial...my preference runs to the basic silver dial; perhaps salmon or green dial 5270s, being rarer and in high demand, are application pieces).

[Partekular]

I have a 5320 and a 5172 both of which - I just checked - have fallen in market value but not in my estimation. I love them and wear the 5320 most days. I don't sell my watches.

For anyone thinking of buying watches as an investment think again! Hype and fashion trends cannot be relied upon. Buy what you like and you may have found the next 5711 but most likely not. No harm in adding your name to the Nautilus/Aquanaut wannabe owner list but be prepared to be disappointed.

[jon_jon]

I would recommend that you take your time and try to visit as many different watch stores and try on different watches. Unfortunately many ADs don't have much inventory and there are not many watch stores with preowned Pateks to try on except at the major metro areas. But going from a 33mm Calatrava to 40mm complicated Patek will be a big change and if you are going g to spend $50k, $100k or more on a watch, I would want to try it on the wrist first.

I also highly recommend the PCC, a 5970 or a 5270.

[dauster]

Originally Posted by njlam

Really? I was told at the Patek Boutique in Vegas that you have to complete an application to get on the list for the 5270. Not true?

I also noticed that the 5320 seems to be available on the grey market below MSRP....how is that possible?

no 5270 is not an application piece and should be able to get from an AD - are you located on the West Coast PM me. pretty much all the pieces that you mentioned should be able to get from a grey dealer below retail so if you are not in the market for aquanaut and nautilus and also not aiming to buy rare handcrafts and minute repeaters down the line I would just buy the watches grey.
Check these guys out https://www.europeanwatch.com/patek-philippe.html

[Calatrava r]

As said above, the models you want are attractively priced pre-owned. You are truly lucky you do not like the Nautilus/Aquanaut collections, because that would be the major reason to go through an AD to get the watches you want. You are just a little late to the 5270 market as the pre-owned models have moved up have quite a bit this year.

[njlam]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

As said above, the models you want are attractively priced pre-owned. You are truly lucky you do not like the Nautilus/Aquanaut collections, because that would be the major reason to go through an AD to get the watches you want. You are just a little late to the 5270 market as the pre-owned models have moved up have quite a bit this year.

Thanks for the info regarding the 5270...are the 5970s or 3970s any easier to get on the pre-owned/grey market?

[vitalsigns]

Originally Posted by njlam

Thanks for the info regarding the 5270...are the 5970s or 3970s any easier to get on the pre-owned/grey market?

The 5970 is quite a bit more expensive and more rare than the 5270s. The 5970s are very collectible and have largely found their way into permanent collections.

The 5970 is the perfect PCC IMO, but you pay for it (up to 2x the price of a pre-owned 5270).

The 3970s are collectors items too but can be somewhat less desirable due to their smaller size and relative thickness. My perception is that they are generally less expensive than the 5270s except for the more rare versions of the 3970. The 3970s are a great value if the size works on your wrist.

Good luck!

[macbauer1]

Hi,

Not really on topic - but I am looking to buy a 5096. I was wondering how you find the size / ownership on the watch?

[dauster]

Originally Posted by macbauer1

Hi,

Not really on topic - but I am looking to buy a 5096. I was wondering how you find the size / ownership on the watch?

maybe this helps

https://www.watchprosite.com/patek-p...4861.11420766/

[ts3]

Originally Posted by macbauer1

Hi,

Not really on topic - but I am looking to buy a 5096. I was wondering how you find the size / ownership on the watch?

I think 5096 is a great size for a simple dress watch. While I don't own a 5096 I have owned a same sized 3998 for many years. I found the larger 5196 a little large on my 6.6 inch wrists with the original 96 and 3796 too small. On top the 215 movement looks ok in 5096. Hence the display back, whereas the same movement was tiny for 5196 and they had to hide it. Depending on your metals preference a downside could be that 5096 was only made in YG.