Discussion
Journe1304 seeks advice from the Patek Philippe community regarding the acquisition of an Aquanaut 5167, specifically addressing the dilemma of paying above retail for a highly sought-after watch. His post frames the discussion around celebrating a significant family milestone and the desire for a durable, everyday watch to pass down to his second child.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Reference 5167
The Reference 5167 represents the 40mm stainless steel iteration within Patek Philippe's Aquanaut model line. Introduced in 2007 and remaining in current production, this reference features a black dial and establishes the standard sizing for the steel Aquanaut offering.
The 40mm stainless steel case houses the automatic Caliber 324 S C movement, providing 45 hours of power reserve. The watch incorporates a sapphire crystal and smooth bezel configuration. Water resistance extends to 120 meters, while the distinctive composite rubber strap displays an embossed check pattern that complements the case design.
This reference appeals to collectors seeking contemporary Patek Philippe sports watch execution in stainless steel. The 5167 offers entry into the Aquanaut model range while maintaining the manufacturing standards associated with the Geneva manufacture. Its ongoing production status ensures availability through authorized channels for both new collectors and those expanding existing collections.
That is a big milestone, indeed, and one that will bring you lots of joy in the future. Love your two watches, BTW, and I like the lack of complexity in not having to choose watches for the week and for the weekends. The 5167 is a great everyday watch, and would suit the bill well for what you described. However nice though, as a matter of principle, I’m personally not willing to pay a premium for a watch. As nice as they may be, the premium is unjustified in my opinion, and I’d just take my mon
...I do mind suggesting them to get milked on the grey market. I myself never bought above retail (in fact, I never bought second hand so far!), so my best advice in the situation you describe is probably to start by buying a more readily-available Patek, and then go from there. In the $30-40k range you can already find nice pieces that are fully worth your money --- and perhaps they'll be as popular as a steel Patek is today when child #2 (or #3, or #4) will be ready to wear them! ;-) Please do
The aquanaut is nice, but I think the lack of supply, high demand, and rising prices is creating a buyer frenzy! At some point I think we need to put our foot down and not support the madness. LOL, we should all stop buying and tell them we’ll start when they start making enough 5711s to supply the demand. I don’t know about you all, but I’m tired of the games. We could be in control, but we’re weak for these watches (I guess that’s why we’re here).
I would sign up at a serious AD and wait for it.
Find another suitable watch or if you really must have this one then do some legwork and call as many ADs as you can and see what they say. Put your name down if these ADs take names. Ask your watch buddies if someone can buy one for you, someone with a good Patek or AD relationship. These watches are not unobtainable at retail, but you either need to be a little lucky and (or) do some serious calling / visiting of ADs.
I had a conversation with a SA my local Patek AD and inquired about the 5167 as well. He told me that it's possible to get the 5167 in less than 6 months since demand isn't as crazy as the 5711/5712. Have a chat with your local Patek AD, if they know you're serious, they will step up to bat for you.
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