Presenting Patek’s “mystery” watch, Patek 5496P with 3rd series dial. Well, at least it is a mystery watch to me. The mystery is why is this watch is not more popular?
Classic Calatrava style case in platinum. Retrograde, self-winding perpetual calendar function with highly unusual and innovative raised rose gold date markers. 2 backs and winding box. From my viewpoint - a beautiful dial and overall look; a very nice si...
I really like your dial version
Tbh I have been eying this PC for some time now, wondering which dial I would prefer. On your dial the applied date numbers are much better than on the -001. As I am currently thinking about the 6159g this earlier PC is still in my mind at about half of t...
Thank you for all the nice things you say. 6159G is very different and appealing although I prefer the relative bargain platinum 5496P, irrespective of value.
Hope you get one of these watches if you decide to pull the trigger.
I personally find this particular variant of the 5496 very attractive.
But I like colored gold watches very much so it’s a great pleasure for me to see the best of both worlds united here: platinum case and rose gold hands, numerals and markers. My guess would be that this particular watch isn’t more popular because most lov...
I had tried the below variant and REALLY liked it, as opposed to the colored gold aspects.
Moreover, it was a good price, perfect size, felt great on the wrist. But I did wonder why it was not appreciated more. It’s as if people don’t like the retrograde function (although I did). Seems to be similar issue for VC retrograde pieces. Just my impr...
I think you probably hit on something regarding your comment about the retrograde function being a negative for some people.
As far as not “appreciating more” my observation. Is that rather than appreciating it has declined considerably in value.
Why the retrograde complication isn’t loved
is hard to understand for me, as I really like it. But you might be completely right and it’s probably true that this problem extends to the VC pieces. At least, your experience seems to confirm that the “two-tone” look of Patekova’s personal example migh...
Thank you Emmanuel for writing and for your analysis. My suspicion is that for many the retrograde function is not so appealing.
Perhaps many would also prefer the data and month in the classic position at 12 o’clock rather than 3 and 9 - but only a guess on my part.
I personally find the retrograde date such
a pleasing complication that I find it hard to understand why one wouldn’t like it. But I guess you’ve got a point here, which seems to be confirmed by ArmisT. The position of day and month might also be part of the explanation, but again I don’t really u...
The leap year indicator placement is not to everyone's liking, I think
On the movement side would be better, in my view.
Not sure why it isn't more loved, but I love it
The -014 version with "honey brown" dial is on my list of must-own watches. ...
I for one like the 5050 more
Your watch is a great one, but I like the proportions of the 5050 more. The watch face is more coherent for me seen the placement of the indications. More balanced as not everything seems to be more to the center. By the way like the 5050 with batons for ...
The 5050 is one of those 'first love' watches for me...
...but is a bit chunkier and a different beast. If I had the $ I'd get one of each : )
Both straps look good!
I wonder if a light sand beige strap would bring out the gold more? As for why it's not popular... I can't fathom why. As it is clearly a very nice watch.
Thank you for your reply. I appreciate your suggestion about the strap. I wore the tan strap for years to bring out the color of the gold accents.
The current strap I think goes well with the case. Main reason for switching though, after wearing it with the tan for several years, I wanted a change of style
I think this is a killer watch and a great value...
...I could nitpick about it being no quite thin enough, but that is minor. I have always loved a two-tone look and this checks that box, along with 3-D indicators and numbers. You are correct...under appreciated...
OK, I’m going to suffer other forum members ridicule by a negative review.
I know it’s not but it looks fake/overdone. The date arrow is too red, the gold lining of the day month year and applied gold date numerals don’t look good, and the moon phase is average at best. This just doesn’t compare to other Patek perpetuals.
A sharp and critical opinion, but one that is well supported!
Thank you for including your reasons to back up your opinion! I can agree that the moon phase looks a little "barren" or "empty" in some ways.
To answer your question, why this one isn't more popular: i guess the moonphase looks a bit cheap without somethin else going on there (like a date or subseconds)
And the bicolor is not everybodys taste, however, the case and nubdial numerals design is quite nice Enjoy!
Thanks for your analysis. Personally, I like perpetual with the dates around the moonphase function, but I love the retrograde even more. And yes, I am sure
you are right that many are turned off by the bi color, although I obviously am not one of them.
Well, it is just a bit of a mess to be honest.
I feel like it’s the combination of case, dial colour and dial furniture colours (gold) that make it so. Everything that’s going on in that dial doesn’t work for me. Perfectly symmetrical but still looks like a mess dressed like this. Now, looking at the ...
Jay, while it might seem ironic that I very much appreciate your detailed negative review of a watch I love, I thank you.
Goes towards helping to understand the mystery to me of its relative unpopularity.
But also, me saying what I said only means the watch is not for me.
This is true for a lot of watches. They weren’t designed for all of us. I would not have commented like I did only for you explicitly asking for the other views on this watch. I own some objectively ugly watches, but for some reason they appeal to me !
Hi Patekova, your watch is well designed with the interesting
retrograde function ! Dial is balanced and classy looking with calatrava DNA 👍 IMO, the design of the small apertures (which are difficult to see with aging eyes 👀) can be improved by eliminating the hour markers at three, six and nine so that bigger aper...
Thank you Gordon for your interesting and perceptive reply. I think the leap year indicator at 6 o’clock might create an even better balance for the dial.
As far as enlarging the apertures at 3 and 9 and eliminating the hour markers - while I might like it personally, I am not sure it is best for the watch overall. And yes, good point about the Patek sport watches. Much as I love to wear the sport Pateks, P...
Hi Patekova, Yes, Patek is about complications, MRs, etc. and much more than just sports watches to us die-hard old timers ! Why do you think
enlarging the apertures at 3 and 9 by eliminating the hour markers might not be the best for the watch overall ?
Because I think that for most people the day and month markers are an appropriate size and more important to make them larger would
result in the elimination of the rectangular hour markers at 3 and 9
For me…
The design is really cluttered, which is what turns me off of a lot of modern Patek. Things like the gold frames on the apertures and execution of the moonphase are not my favorite either.
A mystery to me too...
For roughly the same price... I'd get two of these (014 & 015 in particular) instead of a steel Nautilus. Half way there now 😄 PS: Yours looks awesome on both straps. ...
More than a little crazy IMO, 2 retrograde perpetual calendar watches in platinum for the price of a single steel Nautilus!
Your 5496P variant which is apparently the rarest looks spectacularly beautiful - great photos! Also, the strap is absolutely perfect. Is it a Patek custom strap?