First Patek - Annual Calendar or Chronograph

[tototime]

Hello all,

I'm beginning to dip my toe into the more expensive watch arena and was curious your thoughts on a first Patek to own. For my wedding, I'd like to buy a new watch. I have a budget of <$75K and looking for something in a white gold, SS, or platinum as my current collection (see below) is mostly gold in the dress watch department.

I've been searching around and have really gotten to like the 5396G as well as the 5170G. Like the breguet numerals on both and both have fantastic dial work and movement work in my opinion.

My question is this: which would you see as a more versatile watch that can be dressed up or down (knowing that the concept of "dressing down" a Patek is a bit of a farce), what do you think will maintain value for the long run, and which would you choose on a gut/emotional level.

For reference, current collection includes: Lange 1 (YG), JLC Grande Reverso (RG), 16750 GMT, 14060 Sub, Seamaster 300M, IWC Mark XVI, IWC DaVinci Perpetual.

I've been trying to collect what I've called "Keystone watches" or those that have changed the game of horolgy in some way. This is why I thought the annual calendar would be a good fit given it was inveted by PP.

If there are other watches you think will fit the bill of what I'm after, please feel free to suggest. I'm all ears.

Best,
Tototime

[hdfb910]

I prefer the 5170G. I feel like I is more engaging ..vs just looking at. The 5170 is Patek’s first in-house chrono movement. Also, I think the 5170’s had a relatively short run and may be more collectible down the road. Can’t go wrong with either of your choices though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[srvrf]

Out of those two I like the 5396G. I'm not sure if your DaVinci has a chronograph complication, but if you want one perhaps you could combine an annual calendar (not perpetual of course) and chronograph with a 5905R.

[tototime]

Originally Posted by hdfb910

I prefer the 5170G. I feel like I is more engaging ..vs just looking at. The 5170 is Patek’s first in-house chrono movement. Also, I think the 5170’s had a relatively short run and may be more collectible down the road. Can’t go wrong with either of your choices though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for this. Love the WG and still between black dial and white dial, but I think the black is more engaging. Would your opinion change if I said I was looking at a 5396G-014? If I researched that correctly, this particular one was made for one year in a limited run.

Originally Posted by srvrf

Out of those two I like the 5396G. I'm not sure if your DaVinci has a chronograph complication, but if you want one perhaps you could combine an annual calendar (not perpetual of course) and chronograph with a 5905R.

My DaVinci does have a chronograph. I looked at the 5905, and I think I need to see it in person. The dial wasn't a love at first sight event for me. I also noticed it was in RG, and I'm unfortunately looking for WG, SS or PT. Though PT likely out of the price range.

[agsstructures]

5170G would be my choice

[clkol]

Originally Posted by tototime

Hello all,

I'm beginning to dip my toe into the more expensive watch arena and was curious your thoughts on a first Patek to own. For my wedding, I'd like to buy a new watch. I have a budget of <$75K and looking for something in a white gold, SS, or platinum as my current collection (see below) is mostly gold in the dress watch department.

I've been searching around and have really gotten to like the 5396G as well as the 5170G. Like the breguet numerals on both and both have fantastic dial work and movement work in my opinion.

My question is this: which would you see as a more versatile watch that can be dressed up or down (knowing that the concept of "dressing down" a Patek is a bit of a farce), what do you think will maintain value for the long run, and which would you choose on a gut/emotional level.

For reference, current collection includes: Lange 1 (YG), JLC Grande Reverso (RG), 16750 GMT, 14060 Sub, Seamaster 300M, IWC Mark XVI, IWC DaVinci Perpetual.

I've been trying to collect what I've called "Keystone watches" or those that have changed the game of horolgy in some way. This is why I thought the annual calendar would be a good fit given it was inveted by PP.

If there are other watches you think will fit the bill of what I'm after, please feel free to suggest. I'm all ears.

Best,
Tototime

I know this was not one of your options - but how about the 5235G? Historic yet temporary piece with prices currently going up. I now this would have to be second hand but still - it is truly an amazing watch balancing the dressy/non dressy scale.

[Qngo516]

5960g


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[subtona]

The calendar are a better deal than the chrono…

Another consideration is automatic movement or manual …

Manual look beautiful and make a much better case for the cost but I find myself preferring an automatic movement if I want to get the most out of the watch.

Pros
Patek is a top brand with good reason. Enjoy whatever you choose.



Cons:
30 minute chronos aren’t as useful to me as 60 minute versions.

Calendar can be finicky to set.

[ts3]

I may be alone in this but I find Breguet markers less flexible than regular numerals or batons. In my eyes Breguet markers are as elegant as it gets and don't dress down very well. The Breguets also make the 5396 dial more busy than I'd want.

I am not a big fan of Patek's annual calendars as they all have design elements I don't appreciate. On the 5396G it is the large date font vs the small day and month fonts. Had they done a date ring (and possibly a small day/night window) instead of the 24h ring plus that date window it would be so much cleaner.

If you like 5396 you might also like 5496 and go straight to perpetual calendar which is what I would do (more likely 3940 though).

As to the 5170 I find the P a lot prettier than the other variants and I'd have to pay up for P to avoid feeling like I compromised.

[Ilovewatches]

5960P. Best of both worlds.

[Vasco]

That's a great project, even if you already have some very nice pieces.

I would definitely add the 5960P (only second hand) grey or blue dial, as they offer a lot for the price.

However, a Patek chronograph is something special and a very nice movement to admire. Now, depending on how much often you use your watch, it is manual and some people don't like winding a watch eveyrday.

The 30 minutes will limit its use. So, great for legacy, craftmanship, elegance etc... less for the "usefulness"

For the AC, you set it once a year and forget it. Practical to read, useful, automatic-wind which is very nice on a daily basis, it is beautiful, understated, has a nice caliber. A 5x96 model is very sober and pure. Sometimes a little "cold" for some people.

A 5205 (same complication/display base), rounder, has a little more warmth. You might want to have a look as well (I would personally then go for a second-hand 5960P).

As for wearing, even if subjective, I ould say they are close and you'll be able to wear both whether a dressy way or a more casual way.

The good thing today is that we can pair everything with nearly everything.

[rpl77]

I recently acquired a 5396 with breguet and grey slate dial, and changed the strap to navy as this does make the watch more casual. I understand some folks don’t like the date cutting into the 24 hr indicator but it doesn’t bother me. I think it’s a fantastic watch (biased as this is my first patek). Which 5396 with breguet are you considering?





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[crispyness87]

the 5396 is my favorite of the annual calendars, and an annual calendar would 100% be the first patek I'd buy if I could do it all over again.

[watchgeezer]

5396 or 5170... can't go wrong either way.

Just go for the one you like more, the one you find more useful in terms of complications.

My personal choice would be 5170 by a slight margin.

[tototime]

Originally Posted by clkol

I know this was not one of your options - but how about the 5235G? Historic yet temporary piece with prices currently going up. I now this would have to be second hand but still - it is truly an amazing watch balancing the dressy/non dressy scale.

Will have to look more into that one. Thanks! The regulator look is very interesting. Do you find it difficult to read the dial? I feel it has an odd layout that would take getting used to - I have a Lange 1 though, so I'm used to an atypical layout.

Originally Posted by Vasco

That's a great project, even if you already have some very nice pieces.

I would definitely add the 5960P (only second hand) grey or blue dial, as they offer a lot for the price.

However, a Patek chronograph is something special and a very nice movement to admire. Now, depending on how much often you use your watch, it is manual and some people don't like winding a watch eveyrday.

The 30 minutes will limit its use. So, great for legacy, craftmanship, elegance etc... less for the "usefulness"

For the AC, you set it once a year and forget it. Practical to read, useful, automatic-wind which is very nice on a daily basis, it is beautiful, understated, has a nice caliber. A 5x96 model is very sober and pure. Sometimes a little "cold" for some people.

A 5205 (same complication/display base), rounder, has a little more warmth. You might want to have a look as well (I would personally then go for a second-hand 5960P).

As for wearing, even if subjective, I ould say they are close and you'll be able to wear both whether a dressy way or a more casual way.

The good thing today is that we can pair everything with nearly everything.

I'll have to look into the 5205. The 5960P just for some reason doesn't do it for me. I'm not sure why and willing to be convinced.

[tototime]

Originally Posted by hdfb910

I prefer the 5170G. I feel like I is more engaging ..vs just looking at. The 5170 is Patek’s first in-house chrono movement. Also, I think the 5170’s had a relatively short run and may be more collectible down the road. Can’t go wrong with either of your choices though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Would it perhaps change the calculus if it was a 5936G-014? My research says these were a limited edition run, and I love the layout (though I can see it has become divisive).

Originally Posted by srvrf

Out of those two I like the 5396G. I'm not sure if your DaVinci has a chronograph complication, but if you want one perhaps you could combine an annual calendar (not perpetual of course) and chronograph with a 5905R.

I love the blue dial on this one but not sure how I feel about the date windows at the top of the dial. I like the combo though my DaVinci does have a chronograph.

[tototime]

Originally Posted by ts3

I may be alone in this but I find Breguet markers less flexible than regular numerals or batons. In my eyes Breguet markers are as elegant as it gets and don't dress down very well. The Breguets also make the 5396 dial more busy than I'd want.

I am not a big fan of Patek's annual calendars as they all have design elements I don't appreciate. On the 5396G it is the large date font vs the small day and month fonts. Had they done a date ring (and possibly a small day/night window) instead of the 24h ring plus that date window it would be so much cleaner.

If you like 5396 you might also like 5496 and go straight to perpetual calendar which is what I would do (more likely 3940 though).

As to the 5170 I find the P a lot prettier than the other variants and I'd have to pay up for P to avoid feeling like I compromised.

The 5496 is an interesting value proposition that I'll have to think more about. The 3940 I love but can't find in a white metal, which si what I'm after for this one.

Originally Posted by Vasco

That's a great project, even if you already have some very nice pieces.

I would definitely add the 5960P (only second hand) grey or blue dial, as they offer a lot for the price.

However, a Patek chronograph is something special and a very nice movement to admire. Now, depending on how much often you use your watch, it is manual and some people don't like winding a watch eveyrday.

The 30 minutes will limit its use. So, great for legacy, craftmanship, elegance etc... less for the "usefulness"

For the AC, you set it once a year and forget it. Practical to read, useful, automatic-wind which is very nice on a daily basis, it is beautiful, understated, has a nice caliber. A 5x96 model is very sober and pure. Sometimes a little "cold" for some people.

A 5205 (same complication/display base), rounder, has a little more warmth. You might want to have a look as well (I would personally then go for a second-hand 5960P).

As for wearing, even if subjective, I ould say they are close and you'll be able to wear both whether a dressy way or a more casual way.

The good thing today is that we can pair everything with nearly everything.

The 5205 looks gorgeous with that blue dial. Will have to seriously consider that one.

Originally Posted by rpl77

I recently acquired a 5396 with breguet and grey slate dial, and changed the strap to navy as this does make the watch more casual. I understand some folks don’t like the date cutting into the 24 hr indicator but it doesn’t bother me. I think it’s a fantastic watch (biased as this is my first patek). Which 5396 with breguet are you considering?

Beautiful watch! That's the exact one I'm looking at.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GMT_lover]

Originally Posted by ilovewatches

5960p. Best of both worlds.

+1

[edhahn44]

Get the 5035 if you want a game changer watch…


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[2nastie]

Between those two, definitely the 5170G. It's such a beautiful watch that I would love to add to my collection.

I would say though... if you are looking for a better bang for your buck, the annual calendars are a better value than the chronos. I know you have an upper budget of $75k, but you could save $10K+ going the AC route.

[Zuger]

You have plenty to consider already but I will throw the 5146 into the mix. For some reason this one has always been considered the least desirable of the AC range so there are bargains out there in the secondary market. Nothing is cut off in the dial and the power reserve indicator is a useful function particularly for an AC.

[youthagainsttt]

5305 100%

[heartlander]

Hi All, just wanna get some advice - is it at all possible to obtain a 5212A as your first Patek timepiece? if so, what would the expected waiting time be like?

Thanks in advance for the insights!

[ryehn]

5170 for me. The hard part is trying to hunt one down as I've been trying!

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by tototime

Would it perhaps change the calculus if it was a 5936G-014? My research says these were a limited edition run,

It was a reworked version launched in 2016 for the 20th anniversary of the AC: 5396R-012 and 5396G-014.

They were discontinued around 2019 but weren't limited editions.

[myk7000]

For me it's the annual calendar. 5396G is kind of the quintessential Patek Philippe look in my opinion.

[jon_jon]

The answer is to get both an AC and the chronograph. And if you want, you can add a PC as well.

Patek has been making chronos since the 19th century and the PC since the late 19th century in pocket watches. They converted these to wristwatches in the early 20th century.

The AC is relatively new in that Patek patented the complication in 1996. So a Chrono and the PC is historically more significant. But most people go for the AC first because it is less expensive and then later add a chrono and/or the PC.

[Humble michael]

Hey Mr ToTo May I suggest the 5327 ? Great perpetual and a super buy on the secondary market in my opinion

[KBM]

Between a calendar Patek or a chronograph, the only answer is both!

[rpl77]

Originally Posted by Humble michael

Hey Mr ToTo May I suggest the 5327 ? Great perpetual and a super buy on the secondary market in my opinion

Gorgeous watch! I saw this when I bought my 5396, but it was too rich for my blood


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk