Patek Philippe

eric.vonschonberg
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Keep 5970 ...

It sounds like you're already leaning towards keeping the 5970, but it's still worthwhile pointing out the following ...

I believe the 5004 has risen to a price that is so high that it is not likely to be a good buy now.  While 5004 is rarer, it has two major downsides that I think impact its collectability.  First, its case is too thick in relation to its width.  Even if big watches go out of style and 36mm watches are popular again, the 5004 is too thick ever to be aesthetically pleasing for 36mm width.  The second major problem is that it is really too delicate to wear.

While the 5970 is not as rare, the 5970 isn't common either.  If you were to sell yours, you might find it very hard to find one again if you change your mind.  Also, given that the 5970 is aesthetically pleasing, not so delicate, and is versatile to wear with a suit or jeans, it's possible it may go up in price faster (especially one the yellow gold version has been discontinued), and you may end up paying much more for it if you change your mind later.

As for the changing styles of watch sizes ... Even if big watches go out of style, that is likely to impact watches that are 46mm, 44mm, or possibly 42mm.  At 40mm a 5970 is not so large, and is a nice medium size.  Plus, since it's a chronograph, it's expected to be a bit larger than a dress watch anyway.  So, if smaller watches come back in style again, it's probably still going to be a size that will appeal to people.  Even long ago, Patek has made chronographs as large as 40mm, so there's nothing trendy about the size.
Eric von Schonberg