The Watch Appreciation Thread (Reviews and Photos of Men's Timepieces by Rolex, Patek Philippe, Brei

[Chuckie Egg]

I'm seriously thinking of treating myself to a nice watch for my birthday - something fairly simple and classic, with date.Was looking at the PP website and quite like the look of the Calatrava 5296g-010. However reading its specs, I was surprised that it is not a hacking movement, it is 30m WR (basically splash proof only), and is on a tang buckle not a deployant clasp. For its retail price level, should one expect more??

 

[RogerP]

I'm seriously thinking of treating myself to a nice watch for my birthday - something fairly simple and classic, with date.Was looking at the PP website and quite like the look of the Calatrava 5296g-010. However reading its specs, I was surprised that it is not a hacking movement, it is 30m WR (basically splash proof only), and is on a tang buckle not a deployant clasp. For its retail price level, should one expect more??

How much water resistance should a dress watch have? Were you planning on swimming with it? I am with you on movement hacking - something I expect in any contemporary watch. Nott that this would stop me from buying a Calatrava that I otherwise loved. I don't necessarily expect a deployant clasp at any given price point. There are very inexpensive watches so equipped, and very costly ones that come with a tang buckle.

 

[dddrees]

I'm seriously thinking of treating myself to a nice watch for my birthday - something fairly simple and classic, with date.Was looking at the PP website and quite like the look of the Calatrava 5296g-010. However reading its specs, I was surprised that it is not a hacking movement, it is 30m WR (basically splash proof only), and is on a tang buckle not a deployant clasp. For its retail price level, should one expect more??

Simple answer is yes. Whatever you decide to spend your money on, you should expect to get exactly what you want in a watch.

Longer answer would be no, at least for me. This watch is designed a specific way and for those that buy it I am sure it works just fine. Besides how many people that you know of would actually set out to swim at a depth of greater than 30 meters with a watch that cost over 20 grand? Besides do you really intend to go swimming with the leather strap that this watch comes on or any watch that is worn on a leather strap? That's not a real good idea.I have 2 PP watches that aren't designed to hack and this has yet to be a problem for me.

The good thing about all of this is that if you don't really have to like what one watch does or doesn't do because you can always find something else that will.

 

[Chuckie Egg]

No I wouldn't expect to go swimming with the PP. But a higher WR would be nice in the event of a watery accident eg dropping in a washbasin or bath by mistake (has been known to happen!). I currently wear a dress watch on leather & forgot to take it off for a shower but luckily it has a decent WR.

 

[Chuckie Egg]

Anyway thanks for your thoughts. It's a lot of money for a watch so I'll cogitate over it & look at other similar offerings from other brands as well.

 

[akatsuki]



I'd like to say this Hodinkee article on the RL Khaki vindicates me, but it doesn't really... I'm still not ashamed I liked the watch, but I didn't buy one, so I guess I didn't like it that much. The comments section reads a lot like the TWAT reaction to my saying I liked it when I saw it in person.

http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/hands-...-safari-chronometer-live-pics-details-pricing

In other news... tried on a Gray Pano-Lunar today.... almost certainly my next purchase, and probably within a year. I'm a little smitten.

I think the RL watches are gorgeous, but overpriced. I'd probably say about 50% too expensive on average.

But then again, somehow Bremont gets a pass from watch aficionados which tells you that all that talk about heritage etc is just crap.

 

[no frills]

Anyway thanks for your thoughts. It's a lot of money for a watch so I'll cogitate over it & look at other similar offerings from other brands as well.

I totally get your concern. $29,000 MSRP for the Patek 5296 is not a small amount of money. However, given this particular watchmaker and its offerings, you usually shouldn't expect a deployant clasp to come with any piece under $35K to $40K (although you can very well purchase a deployant clasp: $3,600 for YG/WG/RG or $5,100 for Plat) and even the "sportier" models don't really come with high water resistance. In exchange you get arguably the best finishing/decoration and attention to detail in the world, great value retention and possibly even appreciation and all that comes with that supposedly magical phenomenon of "owning a Patek Philippe for the next generation."

I am not being too cheeky with the comments above, I hope. I own several Pateks myself so I'm very much a "victim" of its "magic." It's just a very different beast when it comes to the pricing/functionality offering ratio. After all, if you want an extremely high price/functionality offering ratio, there is always Citizen's BZ0016-50E:


I mean, for $1,395 check out what you get:

Essential functions include a minute repeater, 1/4 second chronograph measuring up to 12 hours, perpetual calendar, month-day-date, luminous hands, 44mm case, 100M WR, and a dual-coated anti-reflective sapphire crystal. The titanium with rose gold tone accents and rich black dial identify this as a timepiece for serious watch collectors.

http://www.citizenwatch.com/en-us/watches/watch-detail/?model=BZ0016-50E

Patek is just such a different beast, for a variety of different reasons. Most of the world's population would probably feel justified in wondering how it could get away with charging such high prices... but such are the forces of market demand and supply...

 

[no frills]

frilly - great pic. i am amazed at your new found restraint!!!

But loving "Frillshot - The Sequel" from your little girl.

Thanks, TWAT brothers! Running the 30 year watch budget into the ground in four months helps fuel restraint!

 

[no frills]

And, in other news from NY Mag, AP is suing Hilfiger and Movado for basically aping its ROO design:

http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/08/luxury-watchmaker-sues-tommy-hilfiger.html

Of course, this is NY Mag so the pictures they used for comparison sucked. It ain't the classic RO that is most closely comparable, but the ROO. Hodinkee does a better photo comp:

http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/audemars-piguet-sues-tommy-hilfiger-and-movado-for

 

[Newcomer]

Thanks for your input earlier Frills, and I too am impressed with this new-found restraint .

I just saw that on Hodinkee as well. I have to say, I do not think that they will be winning that one. I really doubt any court will find that there has been any trademark infringement on the ROO.

 

[Chuckie Egg]

Thank you nofrills for sharing your thoughts about the PP. I do like the classic understated look of that 5296g and the fact that PP keeps to a more traditional 37-38mm size which is considered small now. I've also had a look at the JLC Master Control which seems ideal were it not for the 3/6/9 Arabic numerals.

 

[no frills]

Thanks for your input earlier Frills, and I too am impressed with this new-found restraint

.

I just saw that on Hodinkee as well. I have to say, I do not think that they will be winning that one. I really doubt any court will find that there has been any trademark infringement on the ROO.

Hoped you might weigh in on that one given your legal expertise.

Thank you nofrills for sharing your thoughts about the PP. I do like the classic understated look of that 5296g and the fact that PP keeps to a more traditional 37-38mm size which is considered small now. I've also had a look at the JLC Master Control which seems ideal were it not for the 3/6/9 Arabic numerals.

With the exception of the Nautilus/5711 all of my PPs are 36mm. Have no problems wearing that size - but then my wrist is all of 6.25". JLC certainly makes a lot of very lovely classic dress pieces, at much more affordable (reasonable?) price points. Finishing/decoration is, IMHO, on a totally different level with PP though (as it should be).

 

[drducky]



I'd like to say this Hodinkee article on the RL Khaki vindicates me, but it doesn't really... I'm still not ashamed I liked the watch, but I didn't buy one, so I guess I didn't like it that much. The comments section reads a lot like the TWAT reaction to my saying I liked it when I saw it in person.

http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/hands-...-safari-chronometer-live-pics-details-pricing

In other news... tried on a Gray Pano-Lunar today.... almost certainly my next purchase, and probably within a year. I'm a little smitten.

One of my absolute faves, though I prefer blue
this was a present from myself to myself last year
on a separate note, taking wrist pics while driving is much harder than it seems

 

[in stitches]



And, in other news from NY Mag, AP is suing Hilfiger and Movado for basically aping its ROO design:
http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/08/luxury-watchmaker-sues-tommy-hilfiger.html
Of course, this is NY Mag so the pictures they used for comparison sucked.  It ain't the classic RO that is most closely comparable, but the ROO.  Hodinkee does a better photo comp:
http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/audemars-piguet-sues-tommy-hilfiger-and-movado-for

lol at TH for the lame and shameless copy. lol at AP for suing. though i doubt even they think they can win, its probably more to make a point.

 

[no frills]

^ This and stitchy's comment: