benzng
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My Dream Watch
I started my journey of appreciating watches through a friend of mine. He introduced me to the brand, Patek Philippe. Many people were wearing Rolex and for some reason, I was drawn to "complication" watches.
I bought the annual calendar 5056P in 2005 and have kept it since as my daily wearer together with some other watches (Rolex, JLC). I was fascinated with the annual calendar! No need to change the dates every month!
Soon I forgot about watches and could not justify getting another watch (as I already had a nice 5056).
One day, I said to myself IT was time to get a more "complicated" watch. I went to my AD and tried on the 5140 and somehow, It did not "sing" to me so I passed on it. Yr 2014 and I saw an article about a perpetual calendar I liked. It's like the 5140 but with leaf hands and lume on it. I am an Industrial Engineer and like technical things as well so when I saw the word Advanced Research then I got more interested. Thus the start of my hunt for the Patek 5550P! I went to my AD and they said its limited to 300. they could not get me one. I emailed Patek Singapore and they said all were sold out. Whenever there are auctions I always look if there is a 5550 (and a Rolex 6263) 
Fast forward to this year, I was able to read some threads about the 5550 and renewed my "search" for it. I was still contemplating on it when I decided to ask Kari for his advice as I know he has one. I read his thread about how his AD was able to keep one 5550P for him even if he passed on it before. What a good AD! Anyway, Kari told me to go for it! Ok, If Kari is happy with it then it would indeed be a special watch. The hunt was on! and today I received my watch and a dream come true.
My initial impression is that it's a thin watch! nice face and I love the watch. Thanks Kari for the advice and the assistance you gave me!
Benz
Available on the marketplace
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My Dream Watch
I started my journey of appreciating watches through a friend of mine. He introduced me to the brand, Patek Philippe. Many people were wearing Rolex and for some reason, I was drawn to "complication" watches. I bought the annual calendar 5056P in 2005 and...
Very nice story, wonderful watch, congrats
You took your time to go for it, you did not think about speculation, you just followed your heart and your passion. The watch will not sleep in a bank vault but will enjoy great wrist time with you making you both happy. You are not having the necessary ...
An excellent choice and a great story about how your persistence has paid off !
This watch is very thin and has a nice heft to it. Enjoy and think of a nice explanation to your annual calendar why it will now has less wrist time. LOL! Cheers, Gordon
That's a major purchase
First, thanks a lot for sharing your experience, we can thus share the pleasure of you getting one of your dreams It is nice and interesting to wait on the long run and maturate this kind of decision. We have some models we are deeply attracted by but don...
thanks Mark
Your article on the AR pieces 10 yr review was very informative. in fact I look for it once in awhile just to read it again. Great article! Hence, i keep on lusting for the 5550, now i am a proud owner of one
My pleasure benzng
and thanks a lot for the very nice comments. Enjoy it, it is really not any watch.
Be careful with Mark's articles!
I also studied the AR article very carefully. Result: I found a brand new 5450 and I just wait to get the strap of the right size to put the watch on my wrist. Best, Kari
The best and most desiable transitional watch
Congratulations to your catch which is inside (movement) and outside (leaf hands on 5140) a novelty and maybe the transition to a different Patek as a whole. Best Moritz
BTW I forgot to say...
5056P is also an excellent choice ! You will now have 2 wonderful PP, not the most common ones but surely 2 connoisseurs pieces ! Congrats again ! Mike
Stunning piece....
I was lucky to be able to play with Kari's last year over dinner, didn't want to hand it back..!! Then the following day I went to the PP exhibition where this piece was on display and was so special it had its own case....which I did find quite funny as ...
Lovely watch....but a double standard at work
Several comments praising the look and specifically the dial, which has written upon it "Advanced Research". Because it's a PP, nothing but praise. Breguet wrote "10HZ" on its fabulous Chronometrie watch, which has the incredibly inventive magnetic suspen...
I guess to each his own. :)
I liked Breguet writing the 10hz on their watch so I am ok with this too. Thank you all for the congratulations. It is a nice piece and light to wear as it is also thin. the 5140 had Dauphine hands. I don't know why but I dislike this. Some I would guess ...
It's not just the hands ...
The minute indicators are very different as well. While the 5140 has the applied minute markers, the 5550 has the printed railroad. Personal opinion only of course, but I favor applied indices.
One of Patek's top three
references 2006-2016. Period. Huge congrats. I am so very happy for you! Best Kari
5070P and 5370P. Just add
5550P and you get three diamonds and a fantastic trilogy. Best Kari
Congrats Benz!!!
i heard about this story from Kari as we both met yesterday. You will enjoy this! Please share more pics when you have the chance So Kari is now the PP Vlad? Lol Cheers Robin
Hi Robin, thanks!
I always liked your posts from the Lange forum I will share more pics when I get my new strap ordered in NYC. Tracy is the best there and I always order my strap from her. I hope to meet you someday when I find myself back in SG.
I was wondering where you had disappeared...
...specially with such a post about the 5550P. I was surprised not to see your beauty appearing before with these beautiful pics... Glad to see you back here my friend, Best, Mike