blau
3552
Great post for a richly deserving watch
I think your decision to repost without change despite the gigantic changes in the world and your own life since then was the right one. Your review is a time capsule, but so is the watch you reviewed!
One note and then one question.
Note: you turned out to be prescient, unfortunately, about Patek's plans. As you know, a 39mm hand wound Calatrava has been released since you wrote this! It certainly answers the concerns of people like me who wanted a movement that filled the case, but, like you, I wish they'd been willing to stay smaller casew-wise.
Question: despite loving the looks I've always found the 5196 case to wear slightly strangely. The wide lugs make it feel larger than 37mm, which then makes it seem thinner than it should be. Am I alone in finding its proportions awkward in those respects? I'd love to hear that you felt the same way the first couple of times you handled one but came around to see things better.