FabR
[Senior Patek Moderator]
26166
Hello Josh, and welcome to our great forum! Glad you decided to purchase your first Patek...and since chances are it's also your last, it's even more critical to get it right! :-)
Between the three watches you mentioned, my favorite are definitely the 5231 and 5236, by a long shot. To be as usual honest and direct, however, it's extremely difficult to be allocated a 5231 as a first-time Patek customer, irrespective of whether a given AD is a jerk ;-) Also, on a more subjective note, I would *never* pay a watch one cent above retail -- ever. Of course, as a consequence, this would virtually eliminate the 5231 from my short list, at least for the time being.
As for the 5236, it's unclear precisely what demand will be from collectors, but from what I can see there's already lots of serious interest so it might not be easy to get either. I would still expect chances to be allocated one to be much higher than for a 5231, however. So it is definitely worth asking your AD. If I'm not mistaken, you have two ADs within an easy drive in your state -- hence, irrespective of who the alleged jerk is, I'd query both for the 5236 ;-)
Please keep us posted on your decision, and I sincerely hope you'll have a great time on WatchProSite! 
First Patek
Very, very long-time reader, and I believe first-time poster. I took an extended break from purchasing watches, in an effort to enjoy the watches that are already in my collection (a JLC dress watch, a Rolex Submariner, a Speedmaster Professional, and oth...
A warm welcome to the Patek forum ! For me, an...
enamel Worldtime is a special and iconic ! However, I am biased because I am the enamel “slave” ! Good luck with your decision whether it will be 5231 or otherwise. Let us know what yiu decide and we look forward to your wrist shot ! ...
Welcome! These are all very great choices
I would make the exception and get both the world timer and new perpetual, I really like 5320G as well but might be going against your blue dial choices.
Nice dilemma
A very nice shortlist. All are great choices. 5231 and 5327 are at opposite ends of the availability spectrum. 5231 is an application piece and will be impossible to get at Msrp from an AD without a big purchase history. 5327 like you say should not invol...
Welcome
Welcome here ... i believe the most important points have been shared already. 5231 and in general the enamel familiy are a hard drug if you get hooked on it .. Around availabilities, if you are not a "known" customer i do not believe you will have a chan...
Hello Josh, and welcome to our great forum! Glad you decided to purchase your first Patek...and since chances are it's also your last, it's even more critical to get it right! :-)
Between the three watches you mentioned, my favorite are definitely the 5231 and 5236, by a long shot. To be as usual honest and direct, however, it's extremely difficult to be allocated a 5231 as a first-time Patek customer, irrespective of whether a giv...
Thank you for the thoughtful comments, to all who have responded so far!
I have been leaning heavily towards the 5321, but, like others have said, I have full knowledge that I will not be allocated one of them. Nonetheless, while I am typically opposed to paying one red cent above MSRP, I think I could stomach the grey market ...
My gut says none of them....each watch seems to have fleas and if a watch doesn’t scream “buy me now” it’s
Generally a waste ...u will know when the right watch comes along...love to own versus like to own
To an extent, I am just a picky person
I have yet to find a watch that I 100% love. But there are flaws, albeit minor, that I can live with (thus, I ended up getting married ).
Yeah, I recognize I’d have to go grey here, which I am not opposed to doing.
Really, it is not going for that much more than MSRP on grey market.
The 5327 is just not balanced...
...when they enlarged the case, they had to do something with the extra dial space to hide the small (although nice) movement. It was a design compromise. Some compromises are necessary, but at $100k this should not be one of them. I'd also throw the 5172...
n/t
So, MSRP for the 5231 is $80 and grey is $100, and with the former, I'd have to pay 10%+ sales tax. To me, that is not so crazy. Obviously, do not want to pay the grey market surcharge - but I can live with it in this instance. As for the 5236P, I guess t...
I can see that the prices aren't too bad, but...
...if you plan on buying more PP, you will be in the same boat as now, not having a relationship/history with your AD. Chicken/egg. If this is your 'exit' piece, then no problem...
This will be my exit piece for the foreseeable future
Although I imagine those are famous last words! The other watches on my list are not Patek, so I’m OK with not establishing a relationship. I’ll still give the AD a chance though. I would probably say I’ll buy this Patek, diamond earrings, Cartier for wid...
Don't give up hope of buying via AD...
...I would talk to a few and let them know what you want. If they sell other brands you might be interested in later that may help. I had no history with a local Rolex AD but put my name on the list for a SS white face Daytona and got it after about a 9 m...
Welcome... you’re asking for first hand information about a watch that isn’t even out yet...
Perhaps the best advice here anyone can give you is to go to a store and try on some of these watches and see if anyone really speaks out to you. Now it’s true, it’s difficult to find a store that has all three. But you can get close approximations. Perpe...
...
So far, I've had a chance to try the 5230 and the 5327. Loved the feeling of the first, I go back and forth on the second. Obviously, have not had a chance to try the 5236. (Also, at least one person here appears to have it, and I heard it is trickling in...
Definitely seems like you plan things very far out in advance...
And by the time you're ready, there'll be something new out that'll catch your eye. I wouldn't be surprised if by the time you're ready to get your first Patek, something else has caught your eye and these three will be forgotten. As an analyst by trade, ...
That may be the case
Out of the three, the 5231J is the one I want the most from an emotional perspective. I love the romance of it and I think it is the perfect size. Really, my only reticence stems from acquiring it - I would prefer to get it from an AD, and feel like I can...
I'd go 5231J which is by far the most beautiful watch among your picks in my eyes...
The 5236 is too large for my taste and it somehow leaves me cold. I have never liked 5327 either with its upsized case and the breguets filling the dial space on the periphery making it unnecessarily busy. I'd much rather get a 3940 (as I don't mind going...
re: emcquillan and oyster case
For some reason or another, I vastly prefer the 5231 to the 5131. I mean, they are both wonderful. But I prefer the lack of crown guards on the 5231, and have never been a fan of the engraved PP on the 5131