FabR
[Senior Patek Moderator]
26166
I guess I'll answer this again, as I had a chat on related matters with the people at Patek before buying this watch earlier this summer, but Volker please feel free to chime in if you want to add something.
Initially, I also considered this move by Patek rather unusual -- listing the 5088/100P as a "Limited Edition" (see my picture below from the 2015 Rare Handcraft book), and then keeping the reference for a few years in the regular catalog as well. This is why before deciding to go ahead and purchase this model (I was sent it to view as a surprise in May and pulled the trigger over a month later), I wanted to better understand the actual production numbers. I'm not going to disclose them publicly, but as I said earlier, I can tell you that total production has in fact been *much* more limited than people may think -- making a 5088 *a lot* more exclusive, for instance, than an enamel Worldtimer, though of course much more accessible than the out-of-catalog Rare Handcrafts, which can often be counted on one hand.
Italy, which is a pretty decent market, didn't get on average more than one 5088 per year, while other world markets *never* saw one. A member mentioned earlier, which I didn't know, that the London Salon also received about one 5088 a year for its clients. In general, total production has been less than several recent "Limited Editions of xxx units," and the reference is likely to be discontinued soon. So I guess the issue revolves more around the *definition* of a limited edition, rather than its concept or translation into numbers. And for Patek, limited edition (with NO specified number of units) really only means that -- the watch will be produced in "small" numbers. Note that this does *not* even imply production is limited to one year only -- not many people know this is the case even for the out-of-catalog Rare Handcrafts, where it's not uncommon for the 4 or 6 units of a given reference to be released over the span of 2 or 3 years! ;-)
Therefore, once production of the 5088 is factually limited but Patek decides to extend it over the stretch of a few years, wouldn't it make more sense to just add the two words "limited edition" next its listing, so that nobody will raise any questions? Perhaps it would be easier, but it's generally inconsistent with how regular catalogs are presented (this is not even done for a 6002, or 6300, 6301, etc., which are *much* more limited than a 5088! ;-)
Hope this brief reply can reassure you about the transparency of Patek's production of this reference, as much as it reassured me before accepting the watch! 
Cheers.
Cheers.
💰1728 Marketplace Listings for Patek Philippe›Patek Philippe Calatrava · 2 for sale · 8303 discussions›
Of course, I do. 😂 Thanks, Fabrizio.
You know the other piece is already at my AD but he will be on vacation until the end of next week. Man, this is like torture. 😭
These compliments are coming from another extremely well dressed man on this forum.
aperna and pretty boy have a superb elegance and style. Among the best in this forum. I am learning.
As soon as this Covid lifts I’ll be on a plane to Paris to hang out with you guys for a weekend. I would do that in a heartbeat
The trip from Boston is quite easy. I’ve made it a number of times
Yep, you can consider a 5088/100P an "application piece," in the sense that your name has to be approved by Patek at some point in the process.
I can't release production numbers, but they have been (relatively) low for this reference, even though it's officially been in the regular catalog (Calatrava collection) since 2015. However, while I can tell you that a 5088/100P is *much* more rare than ...
Thank you.
It certainly helps FabR. The watch is beauuuuuuutiful. I’ll have to have a chat to my AD 👌.
i am starting to appreciate that watch...
...and placed an order for it: )) it seems pretty accessible.
Limited edition?
Does anybody know the story behind why this was once upon a time released as a limited edition, and somehow in its time line came to be in the regular catalogue no longer stated as a limited edition? Just intrigued.
I guess I'll answer this again, as I had a chat on related matters with the people at Patek before buying this watch earlier this summer, but Volker please feel free to chime in if you want to add something.
Initially, I also considered this move by Patek rather unusual -- listing the 5088/100P as a "Limited Edition" (see my picture below from the 2015 Rare Handcraft book), and then keeping the reference for a few years in the regular catalog as well. This is...
Ah I see.
Thanks FabR for the detailed explanation. Makes perfect sense. Limited in whatever sense of the word, it’s an incredibly beautiful timepiece.