Horological Meandering

A ground rule: you have to buy at retail; you can never sell. One from Laurent Ferrier, the Classic Origin Opaline. Somewhat (but not very) sporty, 40mm. Nice hand wind movement which fills the case back, even if not as compelling as LF's micro rotor engi...  

...not to drag economics into it too much. But my cynical side is hard to contain.

That their boring pieces, that look quite similar, dont get that kind of attention.

Amazing that everyone is so excited by this Patek, and so uninterested in the Fifty-Six. (I'm in the 'neither' camp myself, which I suspect you are as well)

IMO, it's just a much more attractive design.

IMHO, if you put any other name on that dial, the Patek would simply be an unappealing timepiece. Dial is unoriginal, and the guilloche does not hold a candle to Kari, RGM and others doing real guilloche work. The LF is original, subtle and quite the look... 

The dial center is embossed with “carbon” pattern as per Patek Philippe. Very lazy.

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Unbelievably lazy!

...nice to have a manual-wind on a dressier watch. PP will sell every one they can make, but they missed a huge opportunity with the WIS community. Kill the date (or match the background to the dial) and use real guilloché and I think it's an instant clas... 

Genuine guilloche at that volume may not be feasible with PP's business model (though of course PP could have spaced the edition out over multiple years). Not disagreeing with you at all, by the way...

As nice as the LF is, there's tough competition in the $30K segment, especially against the Germans.

If I was going to buy a 2nd watch at that price, I'd actually be tempted to go with a Parmigiani Kalpa Hebdomadaire for something very different. But I'd also consider Lang & Heyne's offerings, other MGs, a Gronefeld Principia, a Lange 1, and maybe a few ... 

I just feel the others are generally offering more watch for money with precious metal cases, enamel/guilloche dials, more elaborate looking movements, etc. But if the LF looks best on the wrist, I'd be willing to overlook that.

Even if some of those are 20-30% more expensive (not sure how much that price differential matters at that level, but it surely does to some people).

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clearly Laurent Ferrier. Don’t want to be negatieve about this PP, so I shan’t say anything more. George

I feel this particular PP Calatrava is an uninspired dial with some Aquanaut numerals applied. PP can do better.

I actually like the new movement - it is the tourbillion one without the tourbillion ... Obviously less lavishly finished but still up there. My big concern with the LF automatics has always been the fancy escapement and the ability to service it in the l... 

Keep the backside power reserve, geneva stripes, and perlage.

I would go with the LF. I do like the titanium case. The low WR, manual movement, and style of decoration are not things I care for. I’d much rather have a Galet Square with the micro-rotor movement. The PP only makes sense to buy and flip. I’d hate to li... 

but it has some tough competition in the Principia and perhaps the new Coyons and several others mentioned by other posters.

Who wants a watch that’s dedicated to a ... BUILDING??!!??! Ano “I’m waiting for the platinum Frank Lloyd Wright edition, thank you.” Nuevo

I agree that the LF micro rotor is much nicer. Hard for me to get excited by the PP movement when it's so obscured by the engraving.