Patek Philippe

Greetings to a very knowledgeable crew!  I've been reading the Patek forum for years and admire the insight and intelligence of the advice on this forum.  Here's my situation: I'm well aware that Patek and Lange are the big two.  There used to be a big three but it seems that most serious watch collectors acknowledge that the Patek and Lange manufacturers and #1 and #2 with a sizeable gap separating the remainder of the list.  I want two watches in my life and two watches only.  I want to actually wear them and love them and look at them every morning when I decide which one to wear.   

My first watch is the A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Moonphase in RG with dark brown strap and RG deployant clasp.  The watch is relatively thin (it's height is at 10mm) and it serves as a relatively sober dress watch under my dress shirt sleeve.  Although not terribly important - from a wardrobe perspective the L1 compliments brown leathers and yellow gold buckles.

Now I'm looking to acquire an annual calendar from Patek.  Four references are on my list: 5146, 5396, 5726, and 5205.  I'd like to go with a white metal case (PLT, WG or SS) and black strap w/ deployant buckle.  Yes, that would mean my only two watches are both moon phases but is okay.  By the way, while the L1 is a manual wind, I'd keep the AC on a winder so I don't lose the time, date, moonphase, etc.  In theory I'd stay with these 2 watches long term so I want a AC design that will always look like a Patek and not "what were they thinking when they designed this one?!" 

The 5146P and 5146G (black dial) look strikingly similar.  Surprisingly, on the Collectors Market they're closer than I thought they'd be.  The 5146 strikes me a quintessential but also a playfully full dial, with the subdial pointers not being the cleanest way to articulate the day of the week and month - but pulling it off in a balanced form.  Even the platinum could be worn with a nice pair of dark jeans it seems.

The 5396G is a high end Calatrava with its clean, formal, white dial - packing in a lot of tech in a thin package.  This watch gives the impression (in photographs and videos) to be dressier and less likely to be well paired with casual attire.  The design of this watch is the most conservative of the four IMHO.

The 5726/A1 would appear to be the tank of the four, but the most tastefully engineered tank ever created.  The moonphase pops off the white dial more so than the dark blue dial, but both dials are wonderful.  WIth the blue dial one can choose the black strap - however the white dial is perhaps more rare/unique as it's more difficult to find and commands a more dear ransom.

The 5205 (in either dial) wins the dramatic Oscar and is the most visually stunning.  This watch demands attention and pulls the eye toward it when you're looking at a case full of Pateks.  It's a relative new comer and so beautifully executed that it seems poised for stardom in Patek's AC ranks.

The bottom line is IF you could only represent the marking and enjoyment of time with two time pieces - and one of them were already chosen for you (L1 MP in RG), what would be your 2nd watch?  Many thanks.

5726/1A gray dial without a doubt reading your message. Would add a lot of versatility and a contrast to your ALS.

Upon reviewing the 5960 I can understand your high regard for that piece. I liked the black dial of the 5960 very much.  Actually I should modify my Patek wish list because I've found that a dark dial on the AC will provide a nice opposite to the light colored dial of the ALS Lange 1.  In general I wasn't as interested in a chronograph - unless it was the 5070P with the dark blue dial but that particular watch is not only comfortably outside my range - it doesn't check the boxes that I want checked in a Patek.  So I continue to set my sights on refs 5146/5396/5726/5205.  I'm stretching as much as I'm capable by setting my sights on one of these four ACs. It will be my Patek grail and I'll be one and out.  I'm happy to plan, prepare and wait for the day I can acquire one of them and I will not feel that I compromised at all! 

soft spot for the 5960p as already mentioned.

Thank you stradman for your valued input.  I understand that I leaned forward on the #1, #2, large gap statement - and it was unnecessary.

I own a Lange One and I think that the 5205 is a great companion. I like its more contemporary design for a Patek and its case is stunning!





Fx

A beautiful piece and will complement your Lange 1 nicely; its great for casual wear as well as a formal occasion. I love the way lugs are sculpted and hollowed out.

In terms of the look and legibility of Patek's AC, I like the 5205 the most.
However, the 5146 wins me over because the power indicator is important to me.  I think both have the "patek" look.
As for the 5396, it's very straight forward dial but the problem is that a lot of other manufacturers produce AC that have a similar look to the 5396.
Obviously the 5926 is the sporty one.  However, I would choose the dial that you like the most and not necessarily what's the most popular right now.
Chances are if you plan on keeping the watch for a long time, popularity trends changes from time to time.  Personally I like the dark dial more because I think under different lighting the dark dial may take on a slightly different tone.

Just IMHO of course

Thank you pfslai - I agree that the 5205 is a modern beauty, highly legible and love that big PATEK PHILIPPE in the northern hemisphere of the dial.  I had the good fortune to try on a grey dial 5205 at my AD recently and thought it was a stunner.  The black dial 5205 probably would've knocked me out of my seat if one was available to view.  The AD showed me a pre-owned 5711/1A white dial that the dealer indicated was recently purchased from his shop then returned so the buyer could acquire a different piece. Thought that was curious, because he didn't even have to divulge that information... but he did. That piece came in at 22.  He didn't have a 5726 to show me at the time.

I kind of like the idea of getting the king metal in my 1-and-only Patek but that narrows me down to only the 5146P (and the matching deployant clasp to help even out the heft). Regardless of metal type I want the most satisfying pre-owned piece in my range and a quick look at Collector's Market shows those four I initially mentioned. 

The 5205 is the beauty, 5396 the grow old classic (but only white dial), 5726 the no-worry tank, and 5146 the Madmen funky tech. 

So my list of possibles is whittled down to 5205G black dial, 5726/1A black dial (wife believes the steel bracelet over the leather strap), and 5146P.  5146G is out because I'd feel I compromised.

I'm sort of like you in that I was thinking about having just 2 watches.

I have a 5712 and now have the 5146g on order.  Now I'm thinking that I may not be able to stop at 2 watches...

Do you have (or are you going to acquire) a multi-watch winder to keep those moonphases/dates/times in synch?  Or do you alternate them frequently enough - or manually wind them periodically - so you don't have to reset them? 

Not sure if you own additional mechanical watches, but even with these two Pateks alone - it would seem like somewhat of an effort to keep them from running out of reserve over weekends or between wears.

Thanks for your great input pfslai.

I'm still waiting for my 5146G to arrive.
But I do have watch winders which I use periodically for my 5712/1a.  I also wind it manually.
I keep my watch in different places around the house because I'm paranoid about burglars.
My house was broken into a few yrs back.

Paul

Thank you for your kind responses.

i am enjoying my patek 5712a at the moment, primarily due to its versatility.  However, I always envied the mature and sexy look of the ALS 1MP, in rose gold.  The best variation of this to me has the moon phase wthin the time display.  I would consider owning yours, if my other watch were a 5726 on a bracelet.  It's funny you present those specific options, because thats the exact combo i want in life.

5712/1A must be as good as it gets for a stainless modern daily wearable watch. Just took it along on a beach holiday and wow how it shines out to sea…! There are many modern variations of Nautilus that are incredibly tempting, but none that I would give up this 5712/1A for.