Rosneathian challenges conventional wisdom by arguing that a Franck Muller reference can be more understated than a Patek Philippe, particularly when seeking a specific aesthetic. His detailed comparison of the Franck Muller Cintrée Curvex Chronometro ref. 5850 and the Patek Philippe Chronometro Gondolo ref. 5098 offers a fresh perspective on value, design, and brand perception in luxury watch collecting. This article delves into Rosneathian's rationale and the community's reactions, providing valuable insights for collectors evaluating watches beyond typical brand hierarchies.
Hello all,
To scratch an itch for a watch that properly evokes the Art Deco style of 1920s Brazil, I boiled down the choice to the following:
1. Franck Muller Cintrée Curvex Chronometro ref. 5850
2. Patek Philippe Chronometro Gondolo ref. 5098
The choice was simple. On the secondary market, the FM is available in 18K white gold for one quarter of the price of a PP in the same metal. Case closed.
While the two-hand PP has a superior movement fashioned especially for its tonneau-shaped case, this is of less interest to me than the overall visual effect of the watches. On the three-hand FM, the radial Clous de Paris / hobnail guilloché is uniform. On the PP it is technically more complex but as a result becomes a kinetic frenzy. The cartouches on the FM are also unfussy. Their simplicity again trumps the conjoined, two-tier cartouche of the PP.
PP secured the name 'Gondolo Chronometro' in 1903, at the beginning of what was a highly lucrative partnership with the Brazilian retailer Gondolo e Labouriau. However, this is not enough to lure me into its brand-centric narrative on heritage.
The FM Chronometro was released in 1998. FM of course has no direct relationship to the period of the originals. In spite of this it does a fine job of capturing the look of similar watches from 70 years before. I personally appreciate that I do not have to concern myself with the saccharine of PP's branding.
The FM pictured below is the one in 18K white gold that I've just bought. The PP is in platinum. The lighting is different in both photographs, so I place them here for illustrative purposes and not for direct comparison.
I have no doubt that views - if any - will differ. I would not be surprised if most disagreed with me, so am interested to hear what members have to say.
With best regards.
