While this is my first post on the Patek Forum I have been lurking for a while and have enjoyed the beautiful images and the often illuminating and thought provoking discussions. Hopefully I can contribute something of value to those discussions.
Thank you Oliver for a wonderful post.
The 5270G dial change development reminds me a bit of what happened with the 5960P. After the 5960P had been out for a few years and was a great success with literally thousands having been sold, apparently to add further life (and sales) to the platinum reference, new dial combinations were introduced.
However, any similarity between the 5960P and 5270G situations is superficial at best.
I surmise that something quite different motivated Patek to bring out new dial combinations in the recently introduced 5270G. Despite the hoopla of the in house movement and making it an application piece (at least in the United States), in general, the response has been tepid. This is evidenced both in the generally negative reviews of the model and the ready availability of 5270s on the secondary market at very substantial discounts. I think the 5970 which seems so perfect in many ways has proved to be a tough act to follow.
In response to Oliver seeking opinions about the new dials, I particularly like the fact that “Patek Philippe” is written in substantially smaller print, which to my mind is much more pleasing and in line with the historically understated approach of the company. The bulge at 6 o’clock of the minutes track much more outweighs in a negative way, the smaller font of “Patek Philippe”. I guess the problem Patek has to deal with is that the registers at 3 and 9 are lower than the center of the dial which tends to make the dial a little bottom heavy.
As far as the blue dial, I find with Patek’s colored dials it is very difficult to judge them without seeing them in the metal.
Overall, I prefer the layout of the original dial.
Will these changes to the dial spike interest in the 5270G? Perhaps. Only time will tell, as the saying goes.
patekova