Patek Philippe

Mark in Paris
[Purist]
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Aesthetical references are a difficult world to explore

I think Alex that most of our tastes have been shaped through what we are used to seing, starting when we were young and moving on.

The thing is that the older we've been staying in the field of watches for instance (but it is true in every other sectors), the more difficult it is to follow the aesthetical evolutions. These steps are related to differnt moves in terms of aesthetcial creation and when one gets used to  a certain style, it is more difficult to switch to new standards.

The 5110 for instance if more refined, more traditional but I wouldn't say more elegant. As time goes by we can even say it is more feminin than latest issues.

And, in the same way, people living born in the 1930's for instance are much more attracted by 1960's-1970's design than 2000's thus not encessarily keen on the 5110.

Question of perspective and background.

Our wolrd is changing fast as I said to Keks lately and the design we have today in fine watchmaking are more contemporary and less romantic. In 30 years the 5230 will certainly be the new romantic and the 5110 a beautiful vintage watch (maybe).

I think that the dial and case of the 5230 work perfectly together but I'm much more into modern design (as my appeal for many indies likes De Bethune, Urwerk, MB&F, RM etc...), I like the 991 rear a lot, the Ferrari 458, the new LVMH foundation building design in Paris etc...

However, I can fully understand how people who lived with the 1980's-1990's watche in sight for a significant part of their colelctor's life are not comfortable with the newest watch design.

People buying watches are evolving too. Not that today it is just that people "have bad taste", "it was better before" etc... but aside of the Western Europe and North America tastes, there are now other culture: the beautiful and refined and pure Asian arts, the fantastic Japanese ancestral standards, very pure as well.

They have an impact on style evolutions. Not just because "brands want to increase turnover and sell to those new riches" like some simple minds may say but because the world is different today and will be even more so tomorrow.

Design style and standards will evolve so 2 choices: you like it too and feel it attracting thus you can appreciate it, or it is not your thing, it doesn't correspond to what your heart wants and you have plenty of choice in older references which are as accurate, reliable and worthy.

To each his own but this is something we must take into account and understand when judging evolutions.

I always thought there was no "absolute" in aesthetics but only major trends (Art-deco for instance which is very appealing). That looks like being an absolute beauty but I think it is more the "visual habits" that make the reference point.

I think

Cheers, Mark