Patek Philippe

Dear WIS,

This is my first post on this forum. I just purchased my first Patek. I've been collecting watches over 20 years and mainly IWC. Still looking for this 'top of the food chain' brand ... it took some time to find the right one...

I'm mostly attracted by vintage watches and this esthetic design combining a screw case back / radium markers and size (35 mm ) makes is for me an perfect 50-60ies vintage Patek.

Greetings Martijn

Its a very cool calatrava. Wear in good health.

I bought it in Italy. It's a 1956 watch. Like that it has Radium as a small treat

Patek Philippe than your Calatrava. Congrats!

Classic classy Patek !

Cheers

Gordon

goede keuze mb75 !!

Welcome to the forum...

Second tell us all.

Welcome on our forum Martijn, and huge congratulations for your first Patek. This is a very special moment for sure and you did it a beautiful way.

It is interesting to learn how you came to this one and it is obvious that, with your background, you took your time and put a lot of thinking into you choice.

Thanks for sharing those different and clear pictures. Vintage watches are rare and good pictures are hard to find sometimes.

I'm sure you'll cherish it and I wish you to wear it in the best of health!

Cheers, Mark

And fully sums up, imo what Patek Philippe stands for

When looking at the watch and having some experience from other brands this is what I see:

Original dial and hands ( and radium.. Partially fallen off as over time Radium 'grows')

Small dis colorization on the dial: only by loupe seen -> no problem

Script: Patek Philppe is a not as 'black' as in some other Pateks from that time. But looking at lots of watches and images I think lot of the watches have replace/ service dials

Case: nice but polished in the past: the side had in my opinion brushed sides. Gold mark on the side is visible but a bit polished.

What would you do: keep the case 'as is' or get it reworked and have the sides brushed.

As for a watch from 1956 I consider the watch as mint... but as we all watch and detail perfectionists...

What would you do?

Well, this is a good question, especially as, from what you tell us, it has already been polished several times.

What I would do if I were you is bring the watch to a Salon or a retailer to ask for advice. They know what can be done and what shouldn't.

Maybe they will tell you they can do a very fine job getting the brushed sides back? Who knows, they can do miracles with refurbishing et restoration.

Keep us informed!

Cheers, Mark

I will do that.

I think it's at least polished once... or more? Hard to tell... maybe one can see in the pictures?

It's great to see here so many responses in very little time. It's a great place to be here!

we clearly see a slightly brushed finish on the sidecase. I don't know if th emodel existed as well in a polished finish for the side but, otherwise, yes it has been polished at least once.

Thanks for the comments about the site, in fact, most of us arrived here as tourists and stayed because we felt good

Hope you'll feel good here as well!

Cheers, Mark

That is a very nice watch. I would love to know how to buy a vintage one day (I'm new to watch collecting so I presume a vintage will be more affordable as I can't afford a new one). Enjoy your catch. james

Well, I'm not a vintage specialist but would try to see what's for sale on second hand well known sites, make some research on the net/books about the references I like and try to find a good 2nd hand boutique somewhere to be able to see them.

As always, very hard to be sure at a 100% if it is guenuine etc... but one mustn't hesitate to ask to show the serial numbers (or better, the watch itself) to an official AD or Salon for identification.

I wish you a good journey in your future purchasing experience Jim.

Cheers, Mark

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a big welcome.