Tonypatch
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I think...
...a forum should allow some debate about style and design (not taste, which is your or mine taste, which I am not criticizing). Otherwise we could move this whole thing to Instagram and limit comments to "great watch" - "no YOUR watch is even greater".
My personal belief is that manufacturers once in a while produce a real "stunner", a game-changing "unicorn". But they also make some quite average stuff, some questionable facelifts when a product moves on in its lifecycle (see Acquanaut, now in precious metal and with all sorts of complications, only diamonds on the dial are missing so far).
And that goes for artists, car makers, musicians, watchmakers and so on. They have their ups and downs and Amy Whinehouse moments (think of Mercedes in the 2000s). They want to become something what they are not, they are tired of singing the songs which made them famous, or they cant come up with good new ones.
I would not want to be in T. Stern's shoes, with an impressive history of "game changers" in the product line. How is he going to even continue, if not even exceed that greatness? Carmakers tried to come up with product variations, "marriages" between SUVs and coupes (think BMW's X6 - horror). Stern can "marry" sports watches with complications which were invented earlier. The big "whats next" question like an elephant in the room remains unanswered.
I am a layman when it comes to design, so mdg's contributions are interesting for me. But I think I can distinguish between "lazy" design ("oh, a Serif font in an otherwise minimalistic watch - ah, lets do it") and the often overengineered attempts at design (think Lange, FP Joune).
My Basel report - Patek Philippe
This time I let the pictures talk. In the discussions afterwards, I will tell more about my impressions. However, it is important that each and every Purist can form his/her opinion and thus, I am mostly posting this time just non-edited pictures. I think...
Thank you for the fantastic report!
These are great photos and they will be very useful for those who can't see themin the real. There are indeed several watches I'm eager to see, more than I expected. I imagine that it took quite a lot of time to picture them so thanks again Kari. Best, Ma...
Thank you for your fine work
To photograph all those watches and upload to this site in one post is incredible. Technology is your expertise. Great watches too.
Thanks for the many and great shots Kari.
The 5131P dial/material combo is the one that attracts me. All the very best, Alex
Words can't describe the beauty of 5131P.
It's a watch for the "Northern Boys". Best, Kari
Thank you Kari for the lovely taken photos!
Is it just me or did you take more photos of the 5170P than any other watch?! I love it too and am thinking very hard about it So what watches did you order? Let me guess - the 5170P, 5131Pfor yourself and the 7130G for your wife
I try to speak my wife to go for the perpetual.
For me first 5131P, then 5370P, then a WG Aquanaut, then... Best, Kari
You are a man of Great Taste.
Technically the watch is simply great and the dial is stunning. It's a very elegant watch and feels great on the wrist. Best, Kari
Thanks, Kari.
I will get my first PP (5712/1A-001) within the next 2-3 months. I'm still more into sporty timepieces, but the 5170P could become my first timepiece on a leather strap. Thanks again for so many great pictures. Best, Volker
Fantastic report just like Imran's
thanks Kari. Lots of appeal with the new collection. I found it to be a major success for PP. Personal favorites are the two 5960 and 5170P.
Thanks a lot.
Which 5960 you like more. For me both are appealing. I have the P & A... should I go for G? Best, Kari
5960G for me because of the pushers and strap
I think you should go for the Acier. But there is no wrong answer here which is the beauty of this PP 2017 collection. -Joe
I have not decided yet.
I will not give away my black dial platinum nor white dial steel. But no hurry; need to get 5131P first. Best Kari
Thank you for sharing your photos with all of us here Kari
The 5230G is stunning imo! And the WG Aquanaut looks really good with the blue dial. How does it wear with 42mm? I'm now torn between this and the 5167R
When 5230P will be introduced,
I am the first one in the list. I at leat think so because my name should be there already. It's a fantastic reference! I do not like oversized watches but somehow I find 5168 more balanced that 5167. The new one is simply perfect. Best, Kari
Not sure how Patek does it
Just when you start doubting, they come up with these desirable beauties. Everyone is bound to have a different taste and they sure satisfy most. For me 5078, 5320 and 5168 are the most desirable although admittedly I would be very happy with any of the o...
I will discuss 5078 & 5178 after hearing the same in April.
For sure 5320 & 5168 are great references. I just try to avoid gold and choose platinum whenever it is possible. Best, Kari
Thank you! Great post!
Wonderful pictures! What a year for Patek, so many winners this year!
Great year for Patek - expensive for the clients.
I can't now think much else than that I "need" 5131P. Best, Kari
But unfortunately not mine.
This arctic theme is something I love. In addition to that, the watch is simply perfect. Best, Kari
It's a great reference.
I would say that with platinum case it could overshadow my 5550P. Best, Kari
What a fantastic report.
Many thanks for taking the time and effort to do this, as it really is great for those of us who could not attend in person! I will add that I was initially underwhelmed by PP's offering this year; however your photos have changed that impression. The 596...
Relativity! :D
Which 5960 variants do you own again? If I'm not mistaken though, the '1A' is the one you wear the most?
Thank you Kari!
Thank you Kari for showing us all these photos and for taking the time to upload all of these photos! And for providing your insightful comments!
Most of comments are yet to come.
And in April I have an opportunity to play with the minute repeaters and have a close look at the Advanced Research. That's an interesting watch. Patek is promising accuracy between minus 1 to plus two seconds per day. Quite incredible. Best, Kari
Kari, a huge thank you for taking the time (a lot I am sure) to present this incredibly beautiful photographic essay!
in particular, for me the 5131 1/P images, show with far greater resolution and color how enchanting the dial is. The image on Patek's website falls far short of the standard you have set. Best, patekova
My photos, mostly taken by my wife,
were taken with a semi-pocket camera in poor lightning. We spent in the meeting room full two hours and took a bit over 400 pictures. That means a photo every 21 seconds for two hours. There was no time to play with the photographs but to try to give my (...
After the mandatory purchases,
the black dial 5160/1A is leading the dream list of non-mandatory purchases. It is such a wonderful watch for every day's wearing. Perhaps white dial for sunny days, black for cloudy. Or vice versa. Best, Kari
They are very different.
The dial of the black is like watching to the depths of an ocean. It's so deep. At the same time the white is very playful. Indeed, a matter of taste and two very different watches when looking at the dial. Best, Kari
Thank you for these
great pictures... sadly I do not care for the great majority of the new releases...
There are always the old releases.
The new collection does not reduced the value of the old collection. As an example 5370P is today as great as it was on the day of release. Furthermore, many of us love the vintage ones. Best, Kari
Amazing photos, thanks for sharing!
The 5131P makes complete sense for you to have... even my home country is on the map so would love to say I will try to get one. Unfortunately priced a bit over my pain threshold even if an allocation was possible... star of the show for me is 5170P. Can ...
Yes, Sweden fits to the map of 5131P.
But can you see your home in the map? When watching the map carefully, I am sure I can see mine: 250 km north from the Arctic Circle, in the eastern part of Lapland. If I imagine the dial in the dark, I am sure that Aurora Borealis will appear and start t...
The 6006 could be even nicer if...
...the date font was thinner than that used for the hours. They are too similar in weight and compete with each other. The date should be subordinate to the hour and provide some contrast. Maybe they will change the dial at some point. The 5230G is fantas...
Every fan of Patek is also a self-made designer.
I used to be upset with many references because they were not according to my taste. Then I realised it: Thierry Stern is not coming to me and giving his demands about my next ships; not even demanding to stay on tanker segment or demanding moving to bulk...
Just an opinion...
...but an informed one. I am (was, now retired) a university-trained graphic designer who worked for 30 years in the tech industry as a designer/art director/ creative director. That includes both print, packaging, advertising, and digital app design (UI/...
Not "just" an opinion
There are people who have better trained eyes and "antennas" for design than others. And then there are people who are "fanboys" and applaud whatever a manufacturer puts to the market. Fonts of recent PPs have been discussed and criticized often enough, i...
It is not very fruitful to discuss matters of taste.
I like, as an example, the dial of 3940 much more than the one of 5140. However, Patek has the right to produce what they want and we have the option to buy or not to buy. There are enough watches around to please everybody. I have heard several times peo...
I think...
...a forum should allow some debate about style and design (not taste, which is your or mine taste, which I am not criticizing). Otherwise we could move this whole thing to Instagram and limit comments to "great watch" - "no YOUR watch is even greater". M...
I am not in a position to say what can be discussed and what can't be discussed.
I think it is very normal to say "I do not like it" but to say "it is badly designed" is already a matter of taste. Not an objective statement. Best, Kari
Noone said "badly designed"
Mdg just pointed out some minor flaws in the dial's font.
That's the center of their discussion
It is a matter of taste and not an objective issue. What is an aesthetical standard at one time may change at another time. Hence, what was true at one time (proportions, what kind of patterns match together and which one don't etc...) can be inaccurate l...
The problem is there
I don't believe there is such thing as absolute ideal design. There is just a standard design at one time. And the history is full of examples of designs that were great back then but are now outdated. It is one thing to find something we don't like, it i...
#super #letsnothavedifferentopinions
Will share a pic of my mocca latte and cupcake soon #starbucks
It is not a problem of having a different opinion, that's what we encourage sharing
But there is a big difference between talking about our tastes, the way we see things, and expressing as if we have the truth and good taste hence all that doesn't satisfy us is bad taste. You should understand how people having another opinion may feel w...
Well
I do understand the politically correct concept of a "safe space" but: What if people saying this watch is really nice and is good taste - isn't that not that nice reading for people who actually don't like it??
The difference is that people who say it is nice don't say that people who think otherwise are people without tastes.
It is one thing to say "I don't like it, I prefer the other kind". It is another to say something like "it's very ugly and of very bad taste". Especially since most of the elements we talk about are subjective (I explained it in my previous answers), like...
Thanks for such a great report, now my take is...
Amazing photos. Love the 5131P and the bracelet. The black dial 5960A is a game changer for me as I was not a fan of the white dial. 5170P looks fantastic. Now for the 5230G, I like it but I think that it is trying a bit too hard to look vintage. So great...
Thanks for your comments.
I mostly agree. But about 5230G my thought are that Patek said: "Let's give them an exceptionally readable perpetual". Best, Kari
Thank you, a real treat!
its no small feat taking all these pictures , organizing and posting. Very much appreciated Sincerely H. P.s. My next watch looks even better in your pics than the ones I have seen thus far.
Thanks you very much for this exceptional report. The photos are very impressive...
... and the watches receive aesthetic justice through them. So much better than what I saw from other sources so far. Excellent! And the 5320 is to die for! Cheers Henrik
A stellar Basel showing for Patek
Up and down the line-up are potential classics. All the grand comps. 5320 maybe just the right combo of a modern and vintage-feel perpetual. And look at the detail in the casework of this reference. 5178 with cathedral gongs, cream enamel dial, and Bregue...
Thank you for the fantastic pictures, Kari!
I, as many, have enjoyed them a lot. Regarding the 5320: albeit looking very traditional the fact that the case is stamped out of one piece and also that the movement contains silicon parts makes this reference a totally modern watch. Also the size. Howev...
Thank you! Your kind words mean a lot.
I totally agree with what you said about the perpetual. I do not know if I will get 5131P but I try. Best Kari
While underwhelming for me personally, there are a few gems in here.
I personally would go first for the 5320G. But the price is insane. The 5170P is killer, but the diamond indices are not my style. Now, the 5960. The black dial I like much better than the original white. But the 5960G, with the grained blue dial is my to...
I am happy you enjoyed.
I find the QP okay priced taking into account what it is. Best Kari
It is not that I am saying it is overvalued.
I just think, that for this much money, there are a number of other very interesting propositions out there. And I do not need another QP, so that influences my opinion. It is a very nice watch, though.
Watches are expensive
and luckily there are many around in all price ranges. Best Kari
Naturally it is relative.
I find watches expensive. My 5070P was costing just the same as my Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS very well equipped. But still I bought the watch. Best Kari
Thank you Kari, one big question remains
5070p or 5170p. ??? Lol But thanks again for this fantastic post
Let's put it this way:
I would not give away my 5070P. But it is the London Edition. For sure the movement of 5170 is superior. But 5070P has something which is nearly impossible to beat. Best Kari
Great report, Kari.
How would you rate this two watch collection: 59601/a black dial and 5170P?
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