Comments:
Better Calatrava Deployant replacement?
I normally don't mess with my watches but I could not help noticing Patek's deployant (with calatrava cross) is actually not very well designed. There are several likely points of failures and it is not very secured. I just don't trust my watches with it.
I am thinking of getting some aftermarket deployants (get them gold plated) and then get some custom straps made.
Any of you gone thru such project?
Please share ideas and experience.
Think positive
I do not know if Patek's deployment is well designed but I know it is well priced. The margins are at least healthy...
However, many people trust their watches on the folding clasp, myself included. Could you please lighten me a bit - what is wrong with this deployment buckle?
Best, Kari
pin popping out
My greatest fear is the little pin that goes thru the hole on the strap popping out.
Mitigating this risk
Goodwill,
I think your fear is only well founded if you enlarge the hole by repeatedly inserting and removing the pin from the strap. If you put in the correct hole once and never remove it, the risk should be minimal.
If the pin is already loose, a strap replacement should fix the problem.
Park
pin pushing thru
Hi Park, do you know if the pin supposed to be pushed all the thru to the other side of the strap? Can you show a shot of the inside of your strap, where the pin is pushed thru?
Thanks.
Going all the way . . .
Goodwill,
Yes, the pin is supposed to be pushed all the way through, at which point the protruding head of the pin will be larger than the hole through which it passed.
Below is a photo of the pin protruding. No matter that the pictured clasp is the older style, as both use exactly the same mechanism; only the outermost piece (chevron vs. Calatrava cross) differs.
Park
Never heard that it would happen if
everything is assembled well.
At the same time I'm afraid that the sky will drop into my head...
Best, Kari
Ostentatious
In my view the Calatrava deployant (as opposed to the former deployant) is loud and ostentatious, primarily intended for those driving a Mercedes or SUV. Not very 'Patek'. Thus, I replace my Calatrava deployants with tang buckles (which still have the former design) and an indentical B version of the OEM D straps. This works very well, imo (especially on the more traditional pieces such as 5550 en 5170).
i always thought it was classic
the cross deployant was always on every Patek i saw, and it is on the underside of the wrist so not too showy. i consider it like a sapphire see through back case, it adds a touch of elegance. ostentatious would be a Breitling.
all that said, i cannot add one to my Nautilus strap. however i wanted to comment that the Nautilus buckle is far different than this one pictured. the post that goes through the hole has a much larger head cap which is a screw on piece. so it doesn't allow for popping in and out of the hole. the locking mechanism is via 2 bars that need to be pressed inward to release from the catch. i think it is an ingenious mechanism and wish other deployants followed suit.
Hmmm.. as for being ostentatious
wouldn't that be 'Rolex' - especially when in the company of non-WIS folk. They'll all go 'ohh and ahh' and turn rather green.
My Pateks go unnoticed... it's a secret affair for me ;-)
"ostentatious" Is maybe too hard ...
but I also prefer the simple/more understated versions - even while driving my Mercedes 
I guess both of us can appreciate our watches, while riding a (nice) bike ... but that´s another story
Oliver
I guess both of us can appreciate our watches, while riding a (nice) bike ... but that´s another story
Oliver
Patek deployants do not have a good track record...
Several years ago Nicholas Sarkozy (president of France then) almost lost his Patek 3940 because of deployant failure. Please see the following link
any the accompanying comments.
FYI, I do not use Patek deployants anymore.
Cheers
Jim
New Patek Deployant
That is quite disturbing. Patek should have done a much better job with their deployants.
Anyway, I just found out that Patek released a new deployant with 5146 recently.
Does anyone have any experience with the new deployant? Is it more secured like the Nautilus version?
Deployant saved the day
I have a different version of events.
Sarkozy was reaching into the crowd and shaking hands with people and pressing the flesh, as politicians are known to do. He suddenly felt someone grabbing his wrist, not his hand. He felt a pulling on his watch. He withdrew his hand quickly. He realized the person was trying to steal his watch. He took of his 3940G and put it into his pocket.
Had it been a pin buckle, an adept pick pocket would have undone it in no time. There are videos of that annoying "magician" David Blaine taking people's watches. Notice that it's never a bracelet watch that has to slide over the wrist, but a pin buckle.
Anyway, had it not been for the deployant, the score would be Pickpocket 1: Sarkozy 0.
Listen to some of the interviews he gave after the incident. The media accused him of being a suspicious snob for taking his watch off, until he pointed out that someone had tried to swipe it.
Security of the Pin
Hard to imagine a more secure closure than the pin buckle when we're talking about a strap. I won't argue the point that an integrated metal bracelet is the most secure but when we're comparing a leather strap with deployant or tang buckle there really can't be any serious doubt about which is more secure.
Choose a deployant because you like the way it looks, but for comfort and security on the wrist there can be nothing but a standard pin buckle.
Single fold is the problem
I think the main problem with the Calatrava Cross deployant is the single fold design. Generally, single fold design causes all kinds of problems for smaller wrist sizes. For example, on a smaller wrist, the entire deployant would need to be bent to accomodate the curvature of the wrist, because it won't sit at the bottom center of the wrist. This is the main problem that causes several other problems.
After playing with it for a while, I think the Calatrava cross deployant would not fit wrists smaller than 7 inches "nicely", even with short straps. For wrist that are smaller than 7 inches, I assume a double fold deployant, such as those on the Nautilus or Aquanaut would work a lot better for "both" large and small wrists.
I am not sure why PP is still using single fold design, perhaps there are some benefits that I have not noticed.
Custom solid gold deployant
Found a guy who do custom solid 14k or 18k deployant. Runs around $1100 to $1300 for 14k. Below are some pics. It is based on friction lock.
What do you think of this design. Could it be much more secured than Patek's deployant?
My experience with the deployant
is rather different from what has been mentioned.
I am very satisfied with my Patek Calatrava WG deployant and finds it very tight when i snap it on. I can hear a crisp click when I press it the calatrava emblem of the deployant onto the hole.
In fact, I have to use my nails to "pry" it free in order to take off my watch. Maybe I am fortunate to get a well crafted one but shouldnt all deployants be the made identical I thought ?
I am very satisfied with my Patek Calatrava WG deployant and finds it very tight when i snap it on. I can hear a crisp click when I press it the calatrava emblem of the deployant onto the hole.
In fact, I have to use my nails to "pry" it free in order to take off my watch. Maybe I am fortunate to get a well crafted one but shouldnt all deployants be the made identical I thought ?
Hi Akitaishi
Yes, even mine (well I've got two, one of my 5146J and I bought a RG deployant for my 5127R) snap with a sharp click, I always check for that first.
Only point to note, @akitaishi - when you're snapping it closed don't apply too much pressure on the Calatrava emblem; try and place the pressure on the 'outer' rim. The Emblem is only mounted in four spots, and I've read on some forums in the past, on 'some occasions, for some owners' they've had these pop-off - but then I'm sure they've been placing far too much pressure on something not designed to be treated in such a manner.
I have about 1cm of the strap that gets tucked; I use this small 'flap' to help with opening the deployant, without jerking the movement as much as possible.
Easy Fix
Just take it back to the AD. A jeweler ... or even less ... can simply tighten. It takes all of 3 seconds.