Patek Philippe

As I gradually progressed to learn more about horology I got into the holy trilogy buying a VC 1921 which I love and an AP 15202. I don’t feel like either VC or AP’s dual time in the overseas or the royal oak collection are particularly successful watches from a design perspective. When I took on a new role which involved supervising 90 offices around the globe, I pushed the boat out and bought a 5990, Nautilus Travel Time. It’s a beautiful piece, but the dial is busy and the date is very tricky to read. It didn’t give me the joy that a watch of that value should and the pushers on the side were always being accidental being pushed. 
So I decided to trade and got a Nautilus 5726, which I adore and wear regularly.  And that brings me onto the Aquanaut 5164. I have never really liked the Aquanaut design, and always thought it was crazy expensive for a watch with a rubber strap. But I had gotten used to the 5990 pusher system, which is truly the easiest way to set local and home time. So I held my breath and asked my AD to find me a 5164, it took a few months but he came through with an unused 2016 model.  

Sometimes a watch surprises you. The 5164 is very well proportioned. It’s not dainty like the 5167 but not overly big. The first thing that struck me was the dial, the numerals are incredibly well done and each lumed. The hands are substantial and the second hand is really elegant. The markers have a retro feel to them and give the watch more of a tool feeling. It’s a classic design and I believe as the decades pass will become increasingly attractive. The globe within in a globe design is a nice subtle nod to the travel nature of the watch.  

The strap was the real revelation for me. It fits the watch perfectly and it’s the one watch I own where I haven’t been tempted to look at an after market strap. I had read how comfortable it was and at first was a little disappointed in this regard, but after a few weeks it softened and broke in and is smooth like butter. I travel to hot humid countries and frozen arctic countries and the rubber strap works like a treat regardless of temperature.  

The movement is finished beautifully and fits the case dimensions perfectly, it has all the clever features that the 5990 movement has and I have no complaints on accuracy or power reserve. 
This watch now travels everywhere with me. It’s great on business trips and beach trips alike. As a frequent traveler I look for a number of things in the perfect travel watch. 

1. Needs to be truly waterproof, I don’t have any faith in hotel safes and I don’t want to put a good watch in them. I need to be able to swim or shower with my watch no questions asked. 

2. It needs good lasting lume. This is particularly needed on long haul flights when you want to hunker down and sleep, as well as many hotels that simply have the wrong time set on the bedside clock (why this happens is a mystery to me). 

3. It needs to work with business attire as well as leisure and evening wear. 

4. I need something that flys under the radar so I can explore the streets of the city, with no fear of theft. The 5164 delivers on each of these criteria with honors. 


So to conclude the 5164 surprised me and seduced me, it has taken a lot of wrist time from my Nautilus and is definitely a keeper!




Over volcanoes 








my travel kit 

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