Long time lurker, first time poster

Mar 08, 2020,11:32 AM
 

I was inspired by WH’s post earlier. I too am quite impressed with the level of maturity and general civility in this forum and have enjoyed the discussions very much. Special thanks to the moderators for keeping this place a positive forum for all.


Similar to WH, I’m in my mid 30s and still relatively new to watch collecting. I have a handful of humble pieces that probably don’t qualify to even be called ‘a collection’. I’m mindful that the veterans on this forum have perhaps been collectors for longer than I have been alive! But as did WH, I’m fascinated by how watches carry so many personal stories yet being inanimate objects - a legacy, a milestone in one’s life, an emotion… and that’s something I think anybody can appreciate regardless of age or experience or price tag of what’s on their wrist.


For those who may indulge me on a long post... my story also starts with an assortment of Flik Flaks and Swatches gifted to me in my youth that I don’t remember anymore. First time I purchased a watch with my own money (saved up from mowing lawns and babysitting neighbor kids) was a Tissot quartz chronograph - which I picked up before going off to college. At the time it just felt like an appropriate ‘grown up’ thing to do.


Fast forward 15 years. My wife and I exchanged watches when we got married. I got a (#1) Rolex 116710BLNRBatman”, and my wife got a two-tone 26mm ladies Datejust. 

Side by side in this photo taken the day we purchased, still in wrapper.



Prior to purchasing these watches, we must have spent at least 6 months researching and visiting ADs - and really all signs pointed to Rolex. There was a good amount of disastrousness related to our wedding ceremony (a story for another time), but I’m glad we made the right call on the wedding watches. I’m not saying Rolex is perfect, but for the uninitiated, you really can’t go wrong with a Rolex. 

I remember putting on my Batman for the 1st time and saying “wow”. The heft of a ‘good’ watch, the instantly-recognizable quality and precision of everything - I think to me this was the point I got hooked to fine watches.


c.2 years later, I got a (#2) 36mm Nomos Neomatik Orion as my 2nd ‘nice’ watch. I was promoted at work from being a lowly grunt to being a slightly-less-lowly middle management. To celebrate, I wanted to get something more ‘formal’. Basically, something thin, simple, and on a leather strap. I got interested in Nomos after reading a Hodinkee article (setting aside the controversies of what they’ve been up to lately, I think credit is due for what Hodinkee has done to bring in more debutants like myself into the world of horology). 

My wrist size is 6.25 inch, and I realized 36-38mm was the best size for my wrist.

I know Nomos is not exactly a brand you see people ‘flex’ on social media, but at this price point, I think they have very good value proposition.


At some point, I realized I don’t have the active lifestyle that necessitates a sports watch. I don’t fly planes (or plan on going to space), I don’t do deep water diving, I don’t do extreme mountaineering… So actually a dress watch fits me better for 90% of my life. 


My latest purchase was a late-series (#3) Patek Philippe 3940G, which is my first PP and my first complicated watch. Since it cannot be purchased new, I’ve been searching for and bidding on this reference at every auction over the past 2 years, and just so happens that when I finally won at an auction in Nov 2019, it coincided with the completion of a pretty big project at work that I had also been working on for a long time (Hence was the justification to the wife)

I initially planned on following the standard path of first getting a simple Calatrava like a 5196 or 5227… and then working my way up to a QP. But I figured if the one I really want is the 3940, life is too short to beat around the bushes smile


Setting aside the well-documented praises for the 3940 as a reference, an extra excitement for me personally was that I was fortunate to find one that’s 95% exactly the specification I was looking for.

Foremost, I wanted a “G”. “P” would of course be nice but the lack of sapphire back was a deal-breaker for me.

And then I wanted one that preserved the original case i.e. was not polished. Just based on the examples I came across, I noticed earlier versions (i.e. from 1985 to c.2000) often had stronger signs of polishing (faded / no hallmarks) vs. later ones, which makes sense. Although I liked the ‘yellow moon’ on the older version more (later versions have white moon for white gold case), I was willing to accept the trade off for one with less milage. The one I ended up getting had probably the most crisp hallmarks that I had seen on a 3940.


The Official Swiss Hallmark where you can still distinguish even the ear of the Saint Bernard, and the “C” designating the assay office in La Chaux-de-Fonds. This ties with the poincon de maitre number 357 inside the caseback, indicating the manufacturer was Calame & Cie SA, which is based in La Chaux-de-Fonds (interestingly, Calame was acquired by Patek in 2001)



I wanted a late version, but not ‘too late’ though. You could say I am a bit ‘petty’… but the final run of the 3940s had different “Js” on the dial, that I don’t prefer. I prefer the older “Js” which had the longer ‘top line’ and bottom tip that curves back up (right photo), as opposed to the newer dial versions where the bottom tip stayed down (left photo) like they do on the 5140 and 5327.



Overall, it ticked a lot of boxes for me, but the only down side is it’s pretty beat up with a lot of scratches and dents (hence the missing 5%) - But I’m hoping a PP service could help clean this up.


I fear I’ve lost myself a bit in minutiae, but the point is that I’d spent a long time getting this piece, but like any good acquisition, the due diligence definitely paid off.


I don’t plan on selling any of my current or future watches - although I certainly may gift them to my children or extended descendants some day. Hence I do prefer watches that (at least in my opinion) may stand the test of time whether that means aesthetics, durability, serviceability.

Next watch: definitely want to add a world timer in the collection (a white-metal 5231 would be a dream come true). Also planning on getting a Rolex 114270 at some point just so I have a better sized beater for outdoor occasions. Any other suggestions for small wrists? The journey continues, and grateful to have a place like WPS along the way.


Mike




More posts: 3940514051965227calatravaDatejustgrand complicationsNomos

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A warm welcome for telling us your story ! 3940 as a first piece is ...

 
 By: GLau : March 8th, 2020-11:40
plenty good ! A worldtimer for your second Patek IMO is an excellent decision. Naturally if you can get a 5231G or P at retail will be a big home run !

I learned a lot about the cloisonne world timer from

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-12:05
your older posts, so this is my chance to thank you! I do wonder if PP will indeed ever come out with a white 5231 though. Actually, only reason I have not pulled the trigger on a 5230G is that I fear they will release the enamel version some time later a... 

100% certain they will [nt]

 
 By: Patekphilippecollector : April 6th, 2020-20:19

Welcome Mike, and thank-you for joining this special place! :-) A really nice and knowledgeable introduction that I've read in one shot from start to finish!

 
 By: FabR : March 8th, 2020-11:47
Congrats on building such a beautiful collection, where motivation, knowledge and passion go hand in hand! I also believe this might be a great place for you The amount of research you've done in particular on your first Patek (and, I'm sure, on other wat... 

Thanks for the warm welcome

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-12:07
and for your interest in my story!

A very warm welcome, Mike.

 
 By: Pretty Boy : March 8th, 2020-11:48
Thanks for sharing your horological journey with us. A Patek WT is certainly a great choice though I’m not sure if you quoted the correct reference number. Best, V.

Thanks Pretty Boy and I apologize for the confusion

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-12:12
Indeed there is no white 5231 as I understand it is in J only. I was only 'dreaming' that if PP does launch the other color variants I would love to get my hands on a G or P

Got it. Definitely a good choice.

 
 By: Pretty Boy : March 8th, 2020-12:35
The 5231J was my first cloisonné enamel dial and I’m totally addicted now. Given that 5131/1P won’t run out in 2020, I have placed an order for it last week. However, being late to the party, it’s not going to be easy but the feedback from Patek has been ...  

Yep, but you have 5131/1P.

 
 By: Pretty Boy : March 8th, 2020-12:51
I was always reluctant because I’m not a huge fan of the bracelet and the price that comes with it. This was the reason I turned it down two years ago (when it was a bit cheaper than now😭). Big mistake. Now, I’m absolutely crazy about 5131/1P. I’m going t... 

Agree, I would keep the bracelet too.

 
 By: Pretty Boy : March 8th, 2020-13:06
It’s part of the overall look of the watch and together with the colors of the dial (which perfectly match) makes the watch so special. 😍 But it took me some time to get it.

Ditto.... [nt]

 
 By: Patekphilippecollector : April 6th, 2020-20:21

Dream of getting this 'addiction' myself one day ;)

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-13:06
As has been said elsewhere I think there is indeed something special about the P with the ice caps mixed in with the green and blue

Thanks. 🙏 [nt]

 
 By: Pretty Boy : March 8th, 2020-13:09

Welcome to the community !...

 
 By: Cpt Scarlet : March 8th, 2020-11:52
And thank you for your introduction.

And thank you Cpt Scarlet for the wrist scans!

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-12:14
I enjoy those very much

WristScan is a great tradition in our community...

 
 By: Cpt Scarlet : March 8th, 2020-15:00
And is a lot of fun.

Thank you! [nt]

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-13:06

Thanks for the suggestion Nicolas!

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-13:10
Unfortunately I've not studied up on JLCs just yet. I do know who to pester with questions when I do though

LOL! [nt]

 
 By: amanico : March 8th, 2020-15:15

Welcome Mike! This is indeed a wonderful community!

 
 By: WH_ : March 8th, 2020-13:34
What a strong start, kicking off with a 3940! Apart from the Nautilus, this is the Patek that pops up the most all over the internet/instagram. Congratulations on finding one that meets all your expectations, I know that during your service if you indicat... 

Thanks for inspiring me to post!

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-22:33
Agree the 3940 seems to be getting a lot of publicity these days, but thankfully not as crazy as the Nautilus or Aquanaut 😂 What you say re polishing is consistent with what I heard from the PP service center here in Hong Kong as well. Hence my preference... 

It could be a safe queen

 
 By: WH_ : March 9th, 2020-01:33
But yes i would be skeptical as well, as those safe queens tend to change hands quickly and discreetly

Impressive story

 
 By: Weems@8 : March 8th, 2020-14:05
Also a Hodinkee reader. A new watch connoisseur in our community. A good collection. A world timer is on my list too, but i am also in for a perpetual calendar or an annual calendar which can be found in the Omega constellation globemaster line of watches...  

Thanks Weems

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-22:49
Agree with your sentiment that a watch does not have to be ‘haute’ to have personal value. And your B&M story sounds fascinating - hope to hear more!

Nice thorough intro Mike-On-A-Bike!

 
 By: nacelle : March 8th, 2020-16:21
This has to be the bst watch site in the market, you are in the right place.

Agree! Thanks nacelle [nt]

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-22:54

welcome . Lots of new posters which is great

 
 By: watch-guy.com : March 8th, 2020-16:37
Love your journey and that 3940 is just the bees knees. A grail for any collection Enjoy your watches and lets see some more pics in the future Julian

Thanks Julian

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 8th, 2020-22:58
Always enjoyed your posts and impressed by your vintage pieces 🤩

It‘s not the having, it’s the getting!

 
 By: jkvs : March 11th, 2020-06:33
Thank you for your very interesting and detailed story. I can understand all of your decisive reasons very good. If you are looking for a „sports watch“ as a contrast to your Batman: What do you think of a IWC 39-mm-Fliegerchono? Enjoy your latest acquisi... 

Indeed journey can sometimes be more beautiful than the destination!

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 12th, 2020-01:54
Thanks for your suggestion. I’m not familiar with IWC yet but will keep it in mind. Didn’t know they made ‘smaller’ sizes like 39mm. 👍

Thank you 🙏 [nt]

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 12th, 2020-01:58

Got this from Christies...

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : March 12th, 2020-20:14
...but I would not recommend them. I had a pretty horrible experience with them in the past for a painting, and promised myself I would never buy from Christies again, but this watch came up and I really had no choice to deal with them once more. I was ho... 

That’s unfortunate as I have had the exact opposite in my dealings with the. In NY, HK and DUBAI. After

 
 By: Patekphilippecollector : April 6th, 2020-20:25
Sales was fantastic and they consistently went the extra mile at zero cost. In fact Sotheby’s I am not a fan of at all

I'm glad you had a fantastic experience.

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : April 14th, 2020-09:55
And wish you continued good luck! I purchased from their Geneva auction. Of the many mishaps along the way, perhaps the most 'memorable' was when I finally received the piece, took it to a PP service center to replace the strap, and the watchmaker told me... 

Under some CITES they cannot export the strap with the watch and hence replace it with an alternative,

 
 By: Patekphilippecollector : April 14th, 2020-10:02
I always get the original claspseperately and to be honest the original straps do pop up later but 7nder different shipment

Yes, indeed I ended up getting an original buckle separately

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : April 14th, 2020-11:01
They should just give us the option of receiving just the watch head with spring bars and clasp/buckle in a zip bag, no strap. Instead of unnecessarily risking damage to the watch from bad installation *shrug*

nice writeup Mike and yes I agree, if one can appreciates

 
 By: Mech : March 28th, 2020-17:11
watches early, like buying an insurance policy, many bonus for acquiring them earlier I started before 30 and acquired many but mostly were treated like a biz-tools, even though I loved them all. Over the years, the passion never fades but taste has chang... 

on that note Mike, Patek did authorise some 3940p with a see through back. I have personally seen one with a letter written by Patek for such a special addition.

 
 By: Mech : March 28th, 2020-17:13
I almost bought the set and would probably by the ultimate Patek I would have own, but no. So when a good piece comes by and you have doubts, just buy it LoL.

Thanks Mech

 
 By: Mike-On-A-Bike : April 6th, 2020-17:12
I’ve never heard of a clear back P version. Must be extremely rare.

Don't worry about the 3970 dings

 
 By: Spartacus : April 7th, 2020-11:15
Who am I to say what you should be satisfied with, but if you didn't want a polished watch to begin with, why buff out the dings on the one you just bought? I kind of like the fact that some of my nicer time pieces have some dings or a bit of polish on th... 

It exists and I have seen one

 
 By: Mech : May 9th, 2020-19:53
With letter by Patek assuring it and the reason it made an except to provide one to that piece.