Bruno.M1
4847
I don't think so
The 5004 isn't discontinued yet and I don't think it will happen pretty soon. At least not in 2010 and probably not 2011.
Why ? Because the 5950A and 5951P are much more expensive. They use the same caliber that is used in the 5959. if they could only offer a perpetual chrono (with or without splitsecond aka 5970 and 5004) based upon this movement I'm affraid those watches will be unreachable for almost everybody. The 5004 was not often seen on this or other fora but to be honest, I saw enough 5970.
If you know that the 5950A costs CHF 440.000 (euro 300K, usd 420 K) and the 5951P costs CHF 500.000 (euro 350 K , usd 470K) I don't expect to see them very often ;-)
I think they will bring us a third level of chronographs :
- Entry level where we find the automatic chrono 5960 and 5980. Which are VERY nice chronographs which can be compared to what other manufactures offer at their top range !
- A notch higher you'll find the 5170 and 2 watches which will probably follow in the next years. One which can replace the 5970 and one which can replace the 5004. Both will be chronographs based on the movement we find in the 5170 (CH 29-535 PS). And like the 5170 is more or less priced at the 5070's level I think we'll get a perpetual and perpetual splitsecond in the near future which could replace the 5970 and 5004.Maybe a 'new' 5970 at Basel 2011 because they don't offer a perpetual chrono today. and maybe they will discontinue the 5004 at Basel 2011 and bri g us a successor in 2012.
And last but not least we get the upper class, the nec plus ultrain chronometry. A group of super high end chrono's like the 5959 , 5950, 5951. which use the (CHR 27-525 PS)
That's how I see it