the beautiful patek 5125P Wempe edition in our collection
#patekphilippe production is already limited but when they make #limitededition pieces you can be sure you’re sitting on a gold mine. This reference #5125p #annualcalendar with sword hands and red second markers has been produced in only 100 pieces cased in platinum to celebrate the 125th anniversary of #wempe collaboration with #patek I am proud to have this bomb in my collection here in NYC , among the first 10 pieces produced in the series. #classicwatch
the beautiful Patek 5100R in our collection
Showcasing another limited piece in #classicwatch collection. The reference #5100r by#patekphilippe was made in the year 2000 to celebrate the new millennium. Only 750 pieces were manufactured in rose gold. This model is also called the #mantaray due to its design inspiration drawn from the sting ray. The movement features a striking 10 day power reserve. What a bomb
Lets talk about limited edition #patekphilippe , these #pagoda were made to celebrate the new manufacturing center of the firm. It is said Patek destroyed the machinery used to make these models so they could never be reproduced. 1100 pieces in yellow gold and 500 in rose , I am proud to have two examples here in my collection. #classicwatch
Many second hand Patek Philippe time pieces come with an “extract from the archives” . What is it ?
Regrettably many watch owners don’t keep their original certificate (not to mention the boxes) and when they come to sell their time piece to a dealer like me the watch comes with no documentation.
Patek Philippe maintains an archive of all the watches manufactured and sold since their inception . It is possible then to log on to the Patek website and request a document that confirms the date of manufacture and date of sale of the watch linked with the movement and case number of the watch considered.
How do you request an extract from the  archive then?
Every Patek Philippe movement is individually numbered and so is the case of the watch. Those figures are linked to the specific time piece and that is how the record can be sorted out.
Is the archive a proof of authenticity?
In my opinion yes because how otherwise would they issue an original document from their Geneva headquarters if the numbers weren’t legitimate.
They also ask you to send pictures to confirm the watch really looks like that in their records.
Many Pateks are sold at auctions with an extract so you can be sure it is a legit document.
Other brands don’t have this kind of luxury. If Rolex kept an archive so many vintage watches would sell easily and with peace of mind.
wow this watch is vintage..first generation Nautilus
Today I wanted to educate first time Patek buyers to what is a sealed Patek  set .
The top of the pops in Patek collecting is when the watch is New and SEALED.
So what is this seal you will ask?
The time pieces leave the manufacture in Geneva and reach the authorized retailer in a sealed plastic cellophane bag. This ensures the retailer that no human hand touched the watch after it was shipped and is a guarantee the metal is scratch less and flawless.
Normally in America the seals are opened by the retailers who then display the watches in their cases to be shown and tried on. This can mean they may get scratched,tiny hairlines or God knows what other flaw. Those Pateks are incredibly delicate and the polishing quality is superb so it is very hard to keep them impeccable.
You understand then that a sealed watch has FOR SURE never been worn and is flawless.
There are two degrees of seal : Â single sealed and double sealed.
The “double seal” pertains to the outer cardboard box the plastic sealed watch is contained in to be shipped to the retailer.
The “single” seal is the cellophane container that nests the watch.
The pleasure the collector has from unsealing the object of desire and being the first one to lay hands on it must be great.
Sealed Pateks obviously sell for a premium.
Patek Philippe watches that are out of production and sealed are a real holy grail as the piece just came from the time machine of back to the future.
the Patek shipping sealed boxsealed 5980 1ARthe double sealed PackageLong sealed Patek shipping box for watch on strap
If you’ve been following me lately you probably realized the focus has been mainly on Patek Philippe watches.
The reasons are many and I will share them with you so that you also will realize no other investment is as safe and enjoyable as this.
Patek Philippe is an independently owned watch making firm that has almost 300 years of history.
It is owned by the Stern family from Switzerland.
The current president is Thierry Stern , son of Henry Stern the former President.
This is a very important fact because the Stern family has been committed to the brand for almost a century striving for quality and excellence in every single endeavor taken on.
They are not influenced by any share holders,reports,fashion and trend.
Their only goal is to provide the best product and the best service without ever bending to the necessities of the market or cutting corner on cost. This can only be done if you wholly own the company and your strategy is quality and maintaining your reputation as the prime watch maker in Swiss horology.
At this time , Patek Philippe manufactures all it’s time pieces in house. That means they control production and quality check from inception to delivery.
This applies to dials,bracelets,hands,movements of course , the whole nine yards. All made to perfection and all HAND MADE by the most talented watch makers and jewelers in Switzerland.
We are not talking about single custom wathces , we are talking about in-series production which is all hand made one by one from A-Z.
The greatness of Patek is that to my knowledge , it manufactures about 25000 units a year of Men time pieces. How many Nautilus 5711 can there be out there?? How many 5205G can there be? Very few , I guarantee you.
An easy comparison:  Rolex has been producing over 1 million pieces per year , YES over 1 million pieces!,  since the 60s. How many Submariners are out there? and vintage Daytonas are supposed to be rare?!
All is very limited in Patek  production and very much in demand.
The old supply and demand rule works perfectly in this scenario.
These watches are like gem stones, only that there are far less Pateks in the world than Diamonds and Sapphires.
The buyers  and collectors of Patek Philippe are the most discerning and sophisticated group. It’s a club that it’s a pleasure to be in. A club that includes millionaires,billionaires, Head of states, captains of industry and people with the most refined taste out there.
Everybody can buy a gold Rolex but just people with a high level of sophistication will choose a Patek and recognize it’s beauty and quality.
The after sale service is remarkable as Patek stocks all the original pieces they produced since the 1800s.
They are able to restore all their production to it’s primal beauty. They even kept all their original machinery from days long gone to be able to do this.
Which other watch company stands behind their production since the 1800s??
For me it all started when I was still in the custom clothing business.
One of my best clients is arguably the world’s foremost Patek Philippe collector.
I would regularly visit to serve him and would admire his collection and passion but I still wouldn’t get it. I was a Rolex fan and I wear Rolex since I am 20 years old. I just couldn’t understand what’s all the fuss about. These look like classic watches,yes they are beautiful but I am not in love. I just couldn’t understand them.
As I started getting more and more interested in watches I fell in love with the Patek Philippe Nautilus , no other watch I desired and appreciated more.
I started doing research and learning about Patek and it’s greatness..
The complications are obviously Patek’s strength.
What is a “complication”? Â you will ask
A complication is a watch that features a movement that tells more than just the time. It may tell you the day,date,month and showcase a moon phase display while having perhaps a power reserve indicator. Possibly even more functions can be added such a perpetual calendar , a chronograph and God knows what else.
All this cased in a small 36,37,38 and up to 41mm max gold or steel piece.
Do you realize how small these movements are and the amount of tiny parts that go into them? The skill it takes in planning and assembling the myriad of components that are as big as a bacteria is astounding.
The investment appreciation factor is obviously very important as this is my business.
Patek Philippe watches have been a safe investment for years. Not only can you wear them and enjoy them but you can also make a profit at the time of resale.
Christies , Sothebys and Antiquorum are witnesses to the phenomena that has been growing in the years.
What I sell you for 30k today, I will have to buy at 30k the day after from my supplier. A further proof that these watches are so limited and in demand they appreciate by the hour.
As my collector client said back when I wasn’t in the business and we were talking real estate investments : ” I INVEST ONLY IN PATEK PHILIPPE” .
Sir, I don’t blame you.
and now for fun a compilation of Pateks I bought and sold
Nautilus 5712-1a power reserve and moon phase complicationAnnual Calendar 5146JAnnual Calendar 5396R with discontinued sector dialModern Calatrava model 5296G with discontinued sector dial
Gerald Genta also designed the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak in the early 70s and the similarities are evident.
I love love love the integrated bracelet look on both and I think it is so actual and reminds me of those eternity pools.
The bracelets and the special link work and it’s cushions is also unique and outstanding.
The Nautilus then led to the Aquanaut model in 1997, same shape but more detail on the dial and that Iconic tropic rubber strap.
I am just in love with the whole design vibe of Gerald Genta and the market seems to agree with me.
I am not able to hold on to any Nautilus,Royal Oak or Aquanaut for more than a month!
Do yourself a favor and buy a Gerald Genta designed timepiece!
Legend goes he also designed the Rolex King Midas and the Oyster quartz models. The integrated bracelets and design vibe just gives it away
John Goldberger is an italian collector of superlative vintage watches.
He authored the book “100 superlative Rolex Watches” and some others.
Hodinkee and Ben Clymer sat down with him and shot his collection.
Check John’s website, its beautiful!
http://www.johngoldbergerwatches.com/
This sunday Christie’s had a special auction celebrating the anniversary of the uber famous Rolex Daytona.
They collected 50 prime examples ranging from early models and Paul Newman dials to modern contemporary exotics such as the Daytona beach.
Sale prices all hit the sky and set many records for Rolex and the Daytona model.
The catalog and results you can check here:
http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/salebrowse.aspx?intsaleid=24636&viewType=list&action=sort&sid=1d66505a-e9d0-4857-80c9-9e5b25bf7eb8&sortby=ehigh
I don’t know if this is good or bad for the market.. I guess we will see but one thing is for sure: whoever sits on a vintage mint Daytona will ask a crazy price!
50 Rolex Daytonas sold for over $13,000,000 bringing the average price to $264000! And most of them stainless steel!
Please read more from Hodinkee
http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/recapping-the-50-record-setting-christies-rolex-daytona-sale
