jwd
42
3940
I had a similar debate myself before getting my 3940P recently. I was fortunate to see both side by side before buying and it made for an instant choice. The dial, concave bezel, smaller type face; all looked far nicer on the 3940. Much more restrained and fitting for such a watch IMHO. I guess if you had huge wrists the extra 1+ MM. may swing it, but the difference on the wrist wasn't pronounced.
Both great watches, though that's rather redundant on a Patek forum. 
James
Seeking opinion 5140 vs 3940 QP
Hi Guys; Looking add a Patek QP to my collection; seeking other member's opinion regarding these 2 perpetual calendars; color of metal is not really important to me, but prefer white metal; while reviewing the after market options, it seems that one can g...
A couple of personal observations:
Both watches share the same 240Q movement and it's known for its beauty, slimness and reliability. The newer 5140 is having a 1.2 mm larger case and a much fuller dial. The original 3940 has a much more open dial and in my books 3940 beats easily the newe...
Also, strictly for sake of originality, remember that earlier versions of the 3940
were supplied without winding boxes or deployants. They could, of course, be added later if a customer preferred. For some collectors, it seems the first generation 3940 is the more desirable of the 3940's, and there are subtle differences in the dials be...
My 3940J from the early 90's
came with a solid back, prong buckle and no winding box. I bought new from an AD.
Yes, the first batch of 3940's came only with a solid caseback.
Then the transitional 3941 which was identical to the 3940 but only came with a display caseback. The 3941 had a very short production run, as ultimately the 3940 would come standard with both solid and display caseback. The only exception being the plati...
I understood from Patek
that a small batch of 3940P was made with two case backs. But the gentleman giving this statement wasn't 100% sure. Best, Kari
3940...
...or in my case the 5039 (love the bezel). The printing of the days/dates, etc. are much more uniform (same type size throughout). The 3940 is a truly iconic watch that will never look anything other than classically proportioned and beautiful. The only ...
3940
I had a similar debate myself before getting my 3940P recently. I was fortunate to see both side by side before buying and it made for an instant choice. The dial, concave bezel, smaller type face; all looked far nicer on the 3940. Much more restrained an...
Dear Abe
Just my 2 cent opinion. I never owned these both timepieces but I rather prefer the 3940 as the readability of the sub dials seems better than on the 5140 despite a 1mm more case width. On the 5140, date elements are too concentrated for my taste. Best wi...
Nice problem to have.
The common consensus is that the 3940, especially 1st series, has it all - historical interest, "the" classic PP DNA, beautiful balance/clarity and probably the most useful complication of them all. I suspect that the apparently lower value has to do with...
Another version to consider, if rarity is a factor,
Would be to locate a 3940 with the dore dial. I believe those to be quite rare as well, though certainly not so limited as Chimaera's example above. I'd agree that the first series of the 3940 does seem to be the collector's choice, but I much prefer the ...
Another vote for 3940
IMHO the 3940 is a Patek classic, plus pricing is becoming reasonable too. Of course best bet is finding one complete with box, books, original certificate (not Archives) and with fresh service.
other differences
between the 3940 and the 5140 is the bezel. The 3940 has a concave bezel and the 5140 has the convex bezel. The latter sticks out and is easily scratched. The bezel on the 3940 looks far better and is more functional. The date numbers on the 3940 are the ...
With a 3940....
....you are buying classic PP style, a classic model, absolutely timeless, at a moderate price for what it is. It cannot become "outdated" because it already is. The 993 of PP. With a 5140, you are buying "a modern interpretation" of said model. For what ...
Popular Vote
Popular vote on this forum is for the 3940, as its dial is more symmetrical (no smaller date numbers), and the case somewhat finer. Funny tho, how the "smashed" date numbers and the 5140 case don't bother 5140P or 5550 owners. Go figure. Other votes come ...
That's a very interesting project
The Perpetual Calendars always had a special place in Patek's colelction and those very elegant references you selected are definitely worth it. Especially when we are used to their design, they bring that dressy traditional and very refined thing that ma...
Thank you so much
I immensely appreciate everybody\'s input in this regard; this has been such a valuable learning experience. I have a small wrist and 2 things I adore about 3940 is the size and the classic look!! I used to own a 5039 which I sold because hobnail bezel ne...
Sorry I'm late here:-)
You can't go wrong with either. The 3940 is more clean and the "right" reference as most people here agree on. I went for the ugly duckling with the squeezed numbers and I certainly think it has its place. It is more of an allround watch where the 3940 ap...