I'm 50 this year. I'm in the lucky position of being able to extend my watch collection (which currently comprises of some stainless steel Rolex watches and a vintage birth year Omega Speedmaster) with a new watch. My end game in this watch collecting malarky is to try and purchase a complicated Patek - perhaps an annual or perpetual calendar, to wear and enjoy and pass on (as we all know, you never actually own a Patek ...).

For the past few years I've been badgering my Omega AD about the 50th anniversary Apollo 11 watches. This week, I received a call from him to say that I've been allocated the full gold and the stainless steel models. To say I was excited is an understatement. I love the look of both watches and the stories behind them are inspiring. However, it is clearly a big purchase and will probably require a sale or two to fund.

Things were complicated a bit yesterday, by another email that came from the Patek dealer in Chester to say that they have received a 5205R (one of the watches I had expressed an interest in), and would I be interested to see it with a view to purchasing. As with the two Omegas, this is a massive purchase for me and probably a once in a lifetime event (given that I don't buy lottery tickets).

I appreciate that this is very much a first-world problem. Pursue the two Omega watches with their history and heritage, or go for what for me would be a dream watch? I'm pretty much 95% sure which direction I'm going to heading in over the next weeks but I wondered what you would do?

 

Dreams rarely come true .. your dream watch is the Patek => go Patek

 

For me, you have to go with your dream. I think the gold omega looks amazing but the patek is another level.

 

Dream watch. Like you say this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Having missed several opportunities myself, I have learned that lesson the hard way.

 

Patek > 2x Omega. Especially if it's your dream watch... nuff said.

 

Depends on what you do and how you live.

Are you a

Speedmaster lifestyle

Or

Patek lifestyle

What would you wear the most and enjoy the most in how you live day to day. I would love a Mercedes and could afford one but live a 4x4 lifestyle.

 

Buy what is going to make you happy. Personally I don’t like this particular piece from Patek, so I would buy the two Omegas, but it is not my decision it’s yours. So good luck.

 

I'm with @STANDY on this one. That particular Patek is very dressy and if you're not in a suit everyday, it could be hard to get any daily wear from it. On the other hand the two Omega's are very different and could be worn in a lot of different situations.

Personally I would buy whatever gets me the most wear and enjoyment and a watch I can't wear doesn't cut the mustard. Kinda like having a beautiful wife but you can't touch her!

 

The gold omega 50 anniversary is insanse and that is an understatement.

But a Patek is a whole other level and owning one is something one need to accomplish if he can afford it so I would say go Patek if you can, otherwise I think you will always have doubts about it later.

But just do what you are personal okay with.

 

Nice problem to have

I don't own a Patek and think I will never be fully satisfied until I do (that may require some of the existing collection to go )

 

Having just hit the big 5-0 this year, I can tell you that a gold Patek is the way to go...

As several have said, a 5205R is a pretty dressy and less versatile watch. And if you rotate your watches often, an AC becomes a bit pointless, unless you put it on a winder.

Perhaps I may raise an alternative option:

1. Buy the SS Speedy
2. Also buy a vintage Calatrava - these are more versatile and can be worn casually or formally, depending on the strap, vs a 5205R
3. Have some money left over
4. Have the best of both worlds - a modern and a vintage watch!

And yep, thats the 2481 I got myself. It is a nice feeling to have a Patek on your 50th...

 

I’d suggest getting a 5960a or 5960g. You get an annual calendar and a chronograph that can be sporty or fancy

 

Do not personally care for this PP... but more importantly, I am surprised that nobody called DIBS on @jpjsavage allocation for the gold Speedy Apollo landing!!!!!!

 

No one can really answer this. You need to ask yourself “What will I really wear?” ... That PP can be dressed down with a more rustic strap, but if your world is business casual ... wrong watch. Personally the speedy is one modern model that actually looks good in gold. (Good = Understated, can be worn with a polo and jeans, doesn’t make you look like a Russian oligarch. )

 

I've thought long and hard about this today. Thanks for all the advice. I've spoken to the Omega AD and to the Patek AD. I'm going for the full gold speedmaster. This has been my original plan for a long time (years) and the Omega AD has worked very hard to secure this piece for me. It will go with my 1969 speedmaster, making a lovely pair, and will also be a fitting way to mark my 50th birthday. I am going to wait and see about the stainless steel 50th anniversary model but I'm erring on the side of not purchasing this (I take the point made by someone made elsewhere that it is probably not needed from a collector's point of view given that this anniversary is covered by the other watch).

I'd like to honour my commitment to buy this piece from the Omega AD too. He has been brilliant at helping me secure a range of hard to get Rolex watches over the past few years and I don't think we'll be seeing many of the gold Speedmasters here in the UK either. He has shared with me in confidence some of the background to the acquisition of this watch from Omega and it was not at all straightforward. I am confident that in the medium to long term this watch will prove to be a good investment too.

Whilst I love the Patek 5205R, I think there will be a time to make significant changes to my small collection and get a complicated Patek. Just not now.

Thanks for all the advice. It has been greatly appreciated. I know many of you would have gone a different way with this nice problem and thanks to you all for sharing your reasoning here.

 

Why not, it's only paper

 

I recent saw the 5204 in WG and was absolutely floored by it. Since you already have the birth year speedy I say go for the Patek. It’s been your grail and what better time to get it than your 50th.

 

Awesome. FWIW I would have gone the 2 omegas personally. That gold one looks absolutely stunning. Looking forward to the pics once you have them!

If you can fulfil the patek dream later, then picking these up now makes sense.

 

I guess the G-Class would be an obvious choise then!

 

Thanks, the two anniversary speedies are still an option. I'm hoping the gold one arrives first. Having bought that, I'll see how I feel when the stainless steel one arrives. I'd want to buy that for the box alone! (And an additional bracelet perhaps?).