Patek Philippe

Time is of itself fascinating: the notion of time, the passing of time, the way it maps out or lives. Observing the moving parts in a mechanical watch is captivating; time can control the way in which we go about our lives. With the arrival of the digital age it is available to us all everywhere. However this has not stopped the growing interest in fine mechanical timepieces .

Yes we all know we can tell the time on our mobile phone. As collectors of wristwatches I am sure we are all aware that a watch is not merely an object of telling the time.  It is the one piece of acceptable jewellery that men can express their personality. It is a silent statement about the values ones holds or at the very least would like to project to others.

I know for myself when encountering someone with a Patek Philippe I have many questions. I feel the purchase of the Patek Philippe is often related to a very a personal event.  From reading this forum you can see that this has been the case; whether it has been a professional success, marriage or the birth of a child or inheriting it from a relative. When purchasing a Patek Philippe it clearly is a very enjoyable and exciting experience patek.watchprosite.com

Emotion.................

This message has been edited by PatekPhilippe1 on 2011-09-11 04:45:38

.....that you fail to account for. Most if the desirable Pateks are not available at the ADS, but from gray dealers. So imagine I am gonna celebrate an fortuitous and happy family event, you walk into the AD, and you have to wait 6 months before delivery!! Not to mention the possibly of enduring a POSSIBLE price increase during the wait, which to me would probably MILDLY sour the happy memories.

So what I do is if I for see a happy event for myself or family, and wanna commemorate the event with a Patek, I will scour the ADs and grey dealers few months in advance. That was my modus operandi when I got my 5056P and 5960P to celebrate and commemorate certain personal successes and events.

A certain logical sequencing is required for emotional events, when it comes to Pateks.

Best, and congrats if you have recently bought one for the purpose of remembering an happy occasion.

Horo

event, why consider a PP then.  Seriously!  And your 5056P, the event must not have been that special LOL

With the firm. And as it would turn out, it was a bitter sweet experience in hindsight.

Best,

Horo

represented the start of a madness and for this particular watch, also the incidental meeting of a good but quirky friend LOL

That's always the incidental subplot in our horological journeys.

Best,

Horo

Stirs up some deep thinking.

But when I bought mine, it was not related to any specific event. Nothing to celebrate, just to have the pleasure to wear it... I bought it in Spain so I met friends there and we had a wonderful diner. So it is related a posteriori to good memories...

Fx

just to clarify that isnt myself purchasing the watch just felt that thread was a good insight...

also perhaps emotion is used to help  justify a purchase......... This message has been edited by PatekPhilippe1 on 2011-09-12 01:24:19

I rationalized the purchase of additional watches to commemorate events but the fact of the matter is that I wanted them and the event was a convenient justification for the purchase.

Then, of course the marketing campaign just added fuel to the fire because then I could justify buying another watch so I could have one and give one to my son, and his son(s), etc.. A wonderful excuse for further self-indulgence.

I gave him my steel 3800, which he says he likes, but I really believe my taste and his are not on the same page.... if he were to buy one, I believe he would select something quite different. Look at what was popular in the 70's and 80's even the 90's compared to what is popular today.

I must admit it's been more about me wanting the watch and satisfying that craving than an wonderful storybook experience. I would think selfishness could be a more appropriate and accurate term.

Of course, if you have deep pockets, you have the ability to obtain what you like and as many without much concern, but not all enthusiasts are so fortunate and must be careful with respect to this and future acquisitions.

An emotional and exciting experience?... trying to figure out how to accumulate the necessary funds and then to justify to others (and I think you know who I'm talking about). You bet.

Like many others the purchase of my watch was through the grey route as dealers were quoting me waiting lists of up to a year.

the sale has to be conducted through the internet which takes a lot away from the experience.

My purchase didn't celebrate any particualr event - I simply wanted to step up to the haute horlogerie top table.