Patek Philippe

I think that aiming for a chronograph from Patek is a very nice program

As looking for a 5070G I'm sure you saw Nicolas' last picture, it is indeed a very attractive Patek.

Thank you very much for your warm comments Julian and have a nice end of week.

Cheers, Mark

To my mind, it is like comparing a Porsche 993 with a Porsche 997. The latter is superior from a technical standpoint, but it is the former that everyone wants.

Thank you Joe for your kind comments and opinion!

Well, I think that a key element to become a watch that will be remembered is Time.

The 5070 has had some, on the contrary to the 5170.

Such an image has to be built on the long run, if ever it does of course.

I like when you talk about the X factor: if it was easy to determine the right criteria, every watches would be iconic (or finally none).

Right now and in every purchasing process, what must matter is how we feel for a watch

Cheers Joe, Mark


This message has been edited by Mark in Paris on 2015-05-08 13:43:42

The watch world can be quite strange at times:

Patek is releasing another chrono in many years and is using a supplier for the movement instead of developing one own movement.

However it becomes a big success, possibly a bigger one than Patek was expecting.

I could imagine the reason for this big success is the wider use of the internet from 1998 onwards on that helped watchfans to become more aware of watches and Pateks in particular.

As the headline is saying: the 5070 is a fully functional chrono as its scaling is correct and shows 1/5 of a second on the dial, which is coherent to its beat ratio of 18.000 A/h.

Despite the success the movement was always a de-Lema-nia (pun intended) for Patek as not inhouse.

The movement of the 5170 was possibly born out of the necessity that the Swatch Group has also taken over Lemania in the Breguet deal in 1999.

I strongly believe that the contract to supply Patek with movements was undermined by the Swatch Group and hence Patek had to develop their own movement.

But this investment into an own chrono movement was well funded by the big success of the 5070, I suppose.

However, the 5170 (most likely, imho) was/is not such a big success like the 5070 which is a big, big shame as it is a genuine Patek due to its inhouse movement.

One aspect is still disappointing: the 5170 is less functional as the scaling is also showing 1/5 of a second instead of 1/8 th.

Patek could have got around this by showing four sub second marks on the scaling but in this question Patek went for the look only and chose the (wrong) classic scaling only to make it look like a classic chrono.

I do not know.

To me the 5170, albeit looking a bit bloated due to the very slim bezel, would be clearly my choice if it would also be scaled correctly.

Finally: thank you for the great post!

Cordially

Moritz

if we're talking about a way to say what is true to Patek's chronographs history.

The 13-130 which was used for a very long time until the CH 27-70 was a 2.5 Hz too.

But, apart from that detail, the 5170 layout (case, lugs, dial, hands, markings, Breguet numerlas etc...) is so much a direct descendant of the 130 to 1463 references.

But, as I also have trouble liking some specific details in watches, I can fully understand that the gap between the caliber's frequency and the scale markings can be a problem.

Internet helped a lot developping volumes (in every sectors by the way) but I think the 5070 was quite a renewal after the long wait without a chronograph in the collection.

Furthermore, concerning the migration from the CH 27-70 to the CH 29-535, I think that Patek was aiming at developping a new movement as it did with other calibers (size eveolved too). The Swatch group policy was just, imho, the spark. But that is only a guess.

As for the 1/5 vs 1/8, well I thought maybe having 8 marks was too much but that having 4 was not good either as, if we remain coherent, the second hand would fall in front of no print, 1 time out of 2... not very satisfactory for me either.

But, again, I understand this little thing that doesn't make the 5170 perfect in that matter.

I can feel your little discomfort over that issue and it is understandable.

Well, perfection is hard to find in that world Moritz!

Thanks a lot for your comment and have a good sunday

Cheers, Mark

In my opinion Patek comes very, very close in making perfect watches but still leaves space for imperfections, for their own definition and interpretation.

And this is quite brave.

A good Sunday to you, too.

Moritz

Patek is making just watches. However, their main goal is the same as all corporations' main goal: to generate maximum profits.

What I like in Patek Philippe is that their method of generating maximum profits is to (mostly mass) produce watches of very high quality, beauty and respectable servicing practices.

Best, Kari

... your point " (mostly) mass produced".

We are debating about watches that are unaffordable for a great, great number of people in each country.

Regardless reach or poor if I tell a non watch-nutt  what a certain "entry level" Patek costs the reaction is often the same: disbelieve.

I know what you mean by "non mass produced" Pateks but still any Patek is, in the meaning of the word haute horology, a piece of high art watchmaking.

Best

Moritz

PS

A great holiday picture that you put in here recently of the family and an orang-utan hovering above!

Butt still the person above us is my Mother-in-Law. At leat they look the same and smell the same. On the other hand, I would rather see the Mother-in-Law behind bars than roaming freely.

Best, Kari

Saw your mother's day present: you are surely creative.

Moritz

but not Grandmothers' Day.

Best, Kari

No message body

I must say I also like them both, for different reasons.

Cheers, Mark

No message body

I saw the blue dial from the 6000G and this was outstanding really.

Some prefer lighter blue, as always it is hard to satisfy every Patek fans :p

Maybe that, if I had to pick my favorite color I would still say the 5370P's enamel black with its Roman numerals is what I really love.

As you see I have an humble taste

Cheers Imran.

Mark

I see too often some of the famous watches being technically and mechanically ‘improved’ but very often at the expense of symmetry, personally it disturb me.

My eyes, ageing may be. Or may be because why redoing what is born perfect ;-)

A very interesting post, great read, thank you.

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...of the 5170 (watch which I prefer overall) are very disappointing. For example, the decoration of Montblanc's Pulsograph are much superior at a much lower price.

I do clearly favor the 5170. Without going into the discussion of movement finish there is one aspect of the 5070 that clearly is a no-go for me : the very obvious small movement in a (too) big case! This is visible by the very large bezel which kills for me the proportions of the watch. I am however certainly a bit biased as I own the 5170 G.