Poor Man’s Patek Phillipe…

First thing first, there’s no poor man’s Patek Philippe in the broad world, people think everyone who’s wearing a Patek Phillipe, must been a millionaire and paid a quarter million dollars for the piece, “which is not true as you know”.

Most Patek’s which you see on the market or on peoples (and collectors) arms are in the area of $75k-130k, unless you see truly grand complications which are much more expensive, but here in this article I really wanna dive into the more affordable side of Patek.

To start off this week, I wanna share with you, I always wanted to buy a Patek or Rolex vintage pocket watches, which were made approx 47mm in diameter, which as you’ve read in my previous articles I like bigger watches, and the price of these watches are under $10,000 in general, add short lugs and put on a strap to the watch, it would be a one of a kind wrist watch in the world, and very cool.

Just when I was about to launch such a idea, I found out there’s actually a company that does this type of conversions, while they are mainly in pocket watch conversions with their own dials and modified cases, they have done it with a lot of brands, but they did one Patek, see below a picture of the watch, but I would really love to do the conversions fully on a commercial scale, buying these pocket watches from various brands and converting into wrist watches and selling it.

While speaking about vintage, the original Golden Ellipse watch, which Patek has been inspired by their vintage watches, funny enough story Donald Trump have been seen with this watch in special occasions (love him or hate him it has a certain impression), the watch has been a terrible seller that some AD’s would even sell it on sale or to non Patek Customers just to get rid of it, and I personally have seen it on sale for approx $30,000, while it original price is close to $37,000 which is also super affordable compared to grand complications.

I know you will say it is a smaller and under cover watch the Golden Ellipse, But the tonneau shaped watch especially the blue platinum version is a true beauty and so underrated that people wont realize you are wearing it, and if your goal is not to wear a nautilus and screaming Patek this might be the one.

There’s another type of “vintage but not really vintage” is the Gondolo, which Patek has discontinued last year, this is a pretty rectangle watch with a white or blue dial, and eight days power reserve, you can get it for cheaper than cheap as it is discontinued, if you are willing to take the time to look for it, it might even be cheaper than some cheaper brands.

Another watch which is mind boggling that didn’t pick up so well, which are being sold online for a fracture off the original price not even on the grey market is the Calatrava Pilot travel Time 5524, original price is $57,370 (I still don't know why they couldn’t sell it with a even number) online I found at least 50 for sale in the $38,000 range.

The Calatrava was always a hard sell for Patek Phillipe, it is not a classic, nor is it sporty, nor does it have a complication, while recently patek just launched the new Calatrava line with more color to it, Calatrava is somewhere in the middle between all families, but I think that’s why it always interested me the most as it wasn’t super popular nor too complicated. The white gold with blue dial, and lumen blue and white hands speak volumes to me, and is a truly lovely piece which can be used for both fun and dressy at the same time, I would add a rubber strap to the watch to spike it up.

At the same time I need to mention the Calatrava Weekly Calendar 5212A, which is stainless steel, with a tinge of vintage dial, while being a annual calendar and weekly calendar, is super cool and relative cheap under $40,000 for this hand made finish watch with a complication is truly cheap.

If you have bought already a Patek Phillipe watch you are likely to buy accessories for the watch as well, as cufflinks, earrings, money clip, or ring, compare to everything else being sold, these are “free gifts” almost when purchasing these impressive watches. Obviously don’t look at the money clip with the baguette diamonds at a price of $81,000 LOL.

To complete this week segment, if you don’t have the money, and still wanna roll with Natilus there’s a way to own one at $31,000 but you might have to wait some time till you can get one, though the waitlist is not very long.

The 7118 is “the women's nautilus” it is 36mm and patek has named it a woman’s while Rolex 36mm has been named a mens watch, in reality both are unisex and anyone can wear, and in fact I have meet men wearing these “woman’s watches”, they are truly beautiful and proportion with smaller wrists or under the cuff watches, in my opinion the best bet for its buck, and while woman’s watches in the past weren’t selling, there’s a new trend of men wearing smaller woman’s watches, no one knows where this is going.

In conclusion there are really beautiful and underrated Patek phillipe watches you can get at a relatively “cheap price”.

See you next week

BH