Patek Philippe

Baron - Mr Red
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the right to disagree....

I've posted on the Patek forum for a while, and am a proud owner of some of the watches that have found "criticism" for having movements too small or for being over-hyped or manipulated. My response is simple. I could not care one jot. I do not buy a watch to satisy somebody else's perceptions.

If i choose to buy a watch that costs more than a car, then actually who's business is it other than mine. Watches are not straight commodities. They are, to a high degree, art form. There are many people who believe impressionist art or cubism is absurd as an art form compared to old master classics. Yet still, impressionist art can sell for millions of dollars. Does it make it wrong? Is there wrong or right in art? And who has the right to make such a verdict?

Surely in a world where we are free to express our opinions openly and endorse those opinions by actually buying what we love, there can be no such thing as right or wrong. If Mark is arguing that Patek prices are over-hyped and manipulated, then I am afraid that I have to say to him, welcome to the real world of capitalism. Something is worth what the collective market values it at. If Mark does not believe this represents reasonable value, that it is a bubble or whatever, then he has absolutely every right not to use his hard-earned cash to purchase such a piece. Mark, you have every right - given your opinion - not to purchase. But you are on very shakey ground when you argue that your verdict outweighs the collective of thousands of people who buy Pateks each year.  It always makes me chuckle when the buyers of a premium brand are somehow demonised for being foolish.... the fool being parted with his money. I always wonder how such "fools" ended up with the money to start with?

People buy watches for thousands of reasons. Some are "pure" and some because they treat it as a business. While the latter group do occupy some territory on forums like this, almost by definition the enthusiasts who populate a Patek forum of this order are here because they love their watches, they wear their watches, and they have their own specific reasons for being willing to part with large sums of money to indulge that passion. That decision is theirs, and theirs alone. And such enthusiasts are by far the majority.

It doesn't matter to me whether you think the movement in the 5070s is too small. It doesn't matter if you think the 5970 is over-hyped. The only thing that matters to me is whether, after considering all the factors that I consider when evaluating a watch, I still want to buy one. I will listen to people who i consider experts, and also the opposing views. But ultimately it is a personal choice. You certainly created some friction in your post. Friction is always easy to create. But actually, I think it is slightly odd that a brand that is NOT your passion has created so much feeling in you. While I like Lange as a make, it does not raise much passion for me. That is my choice. It does not make your passion for it wrong. Nor does it give me the right to crisitise your passion for it on the Lange forum particularly valid.