Patek Philippe

bmngc
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My first Patek: the underrated 5134G Travel Time.

I had been searching for a travel watch for a while, and a Patek wasn’t in my consideration set. I looked into a PF Tonda GMT, but was concerned the design would be too bland after a while. I also considered a VC Dual Time, but the proportions were just too large. Finally, I also looked into a JLC Hometime, but the design was lackluster.

Then, I came across the neo-vintage Patek 5134G, and it hit the sweet spot. The same hidden-hand mechanism concept as the PF Tonda GMT, but with more class and visual presence. And, with neo-vintage charm.

The case was the first thing that drew me in. It’s obviously a Calatrava (see the crown guards), but the added contour from the side pushers bring a bit of a Nautilus-esque vibe to it as well, making it also fit in more casual environments. It’s an interesting hybrid between a dress and a sports watch, which is unique.

The proportions are also compelling. 37mm, but with wider dimensions due to the pushers, making it have more presence on the wrist without making it any less wearable. Also, 9mm thickness, which is phenomenal. It wears phenomenally well.

I also really love the dial. There are 3 main variants for this model family. One with all the Breguet numerals, one with a 3 and a 9 (mine), and the platinum one with no numerals, just markers. I specifically went for the 3-and-9 variant. The white gold case is strikingly bright here, and the added numerals make it more sporty. Also, the second hour hand is skeletonized, which makes it very easy to quickly discern between the two. On the Breguet numerals version, the only differentiation between the hands is that one is darkened, which can make it for less clear legibility in certain environments.

There’s quite a bit of depth on the dial. Outer tracks for the minute markers, a darker shaded circle for the hours, a smooth center, and lowered white subdials: one at 12 for the 24-hour indicator, and one at 6 for the seconds. Highly legible, nicely executed.

The travel complication couldn’t be more straightforward to operate. Just press the pushers to move the local hour hand forward or backward, revealing the skeletonized hand for the reference time, which is also connected to the 24-hour indicator. Exactly what I need!

The manual winding caliber 215 PS is simple, but nicely decorated with anglage, perlage, and Côtes de Genève striping. It certainly earns the nostalgic Geneva seal. I personally really like manual winding movements… it’s a nice morning routine to wind a watch, especially this one. Highly efficient crown, buttery smooth.

In my view, the main downsides here are the lack of a date complication, the low-for-modern-standards water rating at 30m, and the movement size that doesn’t fully fill the display caseback. I can live with all of these, especially for this genre. I travel for work quite often, so I don’t have a need to be at the pool. The movement size doesn’t impact anything dial-side to me on this watch, so it’s neutral. I do wish it had a date wheel, though… it would definitely make it even more complete.

A potential competitor for this watch would be Patek’s 5130 Worldtimers. I’m just not a huge fan of worldtimers, largely because most are wrong more than half the year, making the complication a bit useless. And, aesthetically, they’re busy. I appreciate them, just not for my own box.

I don’t ever buy watches as investments. But, it’s hard to believe you can pick up a neo vintage complicated Patek in white gold that’s a perfect size at the current secondary market prices. It’s not cheap, but it certainly packs loads of value. I don’t think it will ever be the next big thing, but it’s hard to believe it would depreciate much.

I don’t fully understand why collectors seem to consistently under-appreciate the 5134G, and I don’t know whether it will be fully rectified. Regardless, this is a great addition for those seeking an off-the-beaten dual-timer with undeniable pedigree and character.