My Patek is the "controversial" 5524g. The watch got flack because the dial looks "too much" like the Zenith Pilot 20 and because PP has to reach to really claim any relationship to pilot watches. I think of it as the watch that Patek _would_ make if it made pilot watches. The blue dial, the perfect fit, and exquisite quality just oozes, as you would expect. I am not much for most of the PP complication watches, too busy, too fancy. But I would like to own a truly simple Calatrava, preferably a 3769 in 33mm white gold---hand wound, no date, but with a second dial. No second hand, no second dial watches look a bit too dead to me. At this point I would only want a hand wound watch. I'm an analogue guy. Hand wound (automatics meh), buttons (rather than zippers), indexing down tube (ok), modern STI/Campag (no interest), friction down tube (the only way I really like to ride nowadays). It's not about retro, it's about having tried the other stuff and these are my personal preferences.
Qui plume a, guerre a. Ce monde est un vaste temple dédié à la discorde.
I used to have watches with complications, some expensive (Lange), but after some years, and expensive services, I realised I was only using the stopwatch function to time boiled eggs. Then I came across Habring2 where Richard and his wife had recently set up in Austria (where I spend a lot of time) so I got in touch and bought what they called a "Time Only". The was at 42mm too big for my puny wrists but I enjoyed it. The people were so nice I got a smaller simple 3 hand watch with date which I wear. I did not want to sell my Time Only so I got in touch with Habring and asked if we could funk it up in some way, have you got any NOS in fun colours, new dial/hands etc, and they suggested converting it into semi-skeletonised. They did this, at pretty modest cost even though it must have taken a lot of time and skill, and it is fun to take out once in a while. Both handwounds.
5524g....yeah, that’s a good one. I think my fav from the brand.
-Dustin
Certainly nothing controversial about that one...it's one of my favorites and is a reference in high demand. I've only had a chance to see it in person once because they sell so quickly. I actually love the more complicated Pateks, the 5205 being my favorite, but a simple Calatrava is a wonderful thing. The 5196 is on my wish list (maybe one day it'll happen).
"I guess you're some weird relic of an obsolete age." - davids
patek5524.jpg
Here's the Patek 5524 on a very simple rubber NATO band. The original band is brown alligator and my aim was to dress the watch down (considerably). Right now I'm especially digging on Grand Seiko but I'm keen on smaller dials after more than a decade wearing a 44mm Panerai as my daily driver. I'm not sure when I will again leave the house for more than a grocery run or a bike ride but it's bad for me to sit about in my pajamas all day, so I don't. I actually clean up and get dressed everyday for the sake of sanity and a tincture of self-esteem.
Qui plume a, guerre a. Ce monde est un vaste temple dédié à la discorde.
This is the hand winding Grand Seiko SBGA231, their version of the PP Calatrava. At least as I see it.
Last edited by dbrk; 10-09-2020 at 10:35 AM. Reason: lather, rinse, do not repeat...
yee-gads.
jomashop just posted the below photo on their instagram, which prompted me to go look and see how much they want for a double green subby. $23,350 - twenty three thousand, three hundred fifty USD.
ouch!
rollies.JPG
Market's gone a tad nuts since they discontinued the Hulk.
"I guess you're some weird relic of an obsolete age." - davids
Beautiful watch and good to see you've returned. I've always loved how you write - no matter the subject.
Best Regards,
Jason Curtis
FoCo, CO
Plus 10 seconds since I set it when I changed the date at the beginning of the month. Good enough for me! I love this thing.
Speaking of the devil, there you go...
https://www.hodinkee.com/articles/ph...on-at-phillips
Angel Jauregui
Ordered myself one of these sumbitches today:
GMT-500-RS.jpg
Don't know what took me so long. It was love at first sight. Roland will build it in the next couple of weeks. Doubt I'll have the restraint to wait to put it under the Christmas tree.
Lou D'Amelio
Bucks County PA
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