Patek Philippe 5070 Chronograph Reference Guide

The eagle had landed yesterday and I have to say this is probably going to be one of the last few monumental pieces I will add to the collection. I feel that my journey with watch collecting is perhaps approaching its last phase now, having collected watches over a decade and more.

I want to say a big thank you to my good friend Amanico, whose input and reviews over the years has helped shape my collecting experiences. Also huge thanks to the myriad of other contributors on this wonderful forum, of which the sharing of knowledge and passion has made collecting so much more meaningful and enjoyable over the years.

I will not be spending too much time on constructing this post, and plan to “shoot off the cuff” and give my two cents on this legendary piece as plainly as possible. A lot has been said over the years about this watch — it’s pros, cons and more. So I’ll be focusing on the collector experience and why I think this is such a great piece.

Firstly, despite my smaller wrists, the fit is perfect thanks to the curved-down fluted lugs and also the relative slimness of the case (11 mm versus say a datograph at 13 ). Secondly, the watch commands a certain sense of aura, and I suspect this is largely attributed to the fact that this is Patek (a brand that sits amongst the noblest of houses), the ties and historical relevance with the famous Lemania movement, it’s uncanny resemblance to the vintage ref. 2512/1 (less the split second mechanism) and the coherence and harmony of its two register dial. I must add that I own a Dufourgraph, RD homage and PP 5170 reference, but none seem to command such aura on the wrist. At least, not to such a great extent. Third, it has dawned on me recently that the “undesirable” proportions of the watch at 42mm which some might frown upon is actually pretty unique and special. Despite deviating from the usual 36-40mm cases of most dressy chronographs, the 5070 is uniquely larger and more fun to wear (and I repeat even for a guy with smaller wrists such as myself). The triple stepped bezel, shorter/curved down lugs, flatter case and rectangular chrono pushers are harmoniously coherent, allowing the wearer to dress down or even up with it. Flip it around and you’ll see the same magical effect take place on the larger case versus smaller movement. The stepped up case back helps to diffuse that disproportionate case to movement ratio — something that only can be believed, or experienced in the flesh. Hence, I’ve put to bed these so called “cons”. They no longer are an issue to me. Fourthly, I obviously like the fact that the Lemania ebauche movement has been reworked extensively unlike others. This should and must be a major plus point to all collectors. Last but not least, putting it all together I now recognize this reference to be one of the most iconic, prolific and important pieces within the history of the house of Patek. In this crazy world of inflated luxury sports watch prices, I defer back to these so-called “blue chips”, that present themselves as wonderful timepieces that are worth not just the money, but also our attention.

Due to the opportunity that was presented to me, I’ve chosen the WG variant. If my finances isn’t a constraint, perhaps the platinum would have been the ultimate choice. However…however…however… I truly believe each variant is wonderful in its own right and one can never go wrong with the ref. 5070 in any metal. The WG is fun, due to the contrast of lighter dial and darker hour markers and hands. Makes the watch a lot more fun and casual should you choose to dress down with it. I personally think it’s harder to dress down the other variants. I opted for a nubuck strap (with alligator lining) for daily use. Here are a few shots:












For the record, I “magically” woke up today at 10:10 AM with the watch strapped on my wrist. Thanks for looking, wishing all of you a pleasant weekend ahead.

Best Regards
Gatsby

P.S. will be posting more photos of this at dinner tonight, with a special someone ;-)