recently my friend recommend me to buy patek Calatrava Ref. 5196 what do you think ?

 

Um, expensive?

 

I was in the market for a new gold dress watch. I was having a very good year. Green light from Mrs S. I looked at a Calatrava Date. Impressions, nicely made, highly finished, but from a distance looked like the cheap Seiko’s a prior employer had given out after a big product launch. Besides the insane price, the snooty attitude of the sales rep sent me to JLC, where I eventually acquired my Master Moon during a business trip to Paris where I was not only was able to negotiate a good deal, but beat the VAT. Personally PP with the exception of the vintage chronographs, leaves me cold. I don’t get it.

 

Did you get it with white or black dial? Those are beautiful watches and I find in many cases JLC a great option quality to price. Of course to say JLC is underrated would be exaggeration. But it's a bit behind those bigest names and acually the history, in-house movements etc should position it even higher.

 

It is a very safe and boring watch.

If you want a watch that is inoffensive and you can wear for the rest of your life, get it.

If you want something that tugs at your heart strings, get something else with that stack of cash.

 

Beautiful! Very attractive watch!

 

The 5196 is now a discontinued model so I think you will have to find one second hand/gray.

Personally, I like them a lot and I would love one either in rose or white gold. It is a classic PP in the style of the original Ref. 96. The watch itself is well sized and beautifully made. I don't find it boring at all.

The Cal. 215 the 5196 uses is an excellent movement and should not give you any trouble. The movement is small though, and I guess for this reason the caseback does not have a crystal.

For me the main question is the price. PPs are really expensive now, and there are a lot of alternatives out there.

Having said that, if you personally feel that the 5196 is the watch you really want, I can only say go for it!

 

What do you think?

 

I find the 5196 too large and much prefer the 3796 or the original 96

 

Both the original Ref 96 and the 3796 are 31mm. A bit too small for me personally. In any case, they are lovely watches.

Then there is the 5096 at 33mm, but that one is quite uncommon.

 

5196, imo, does not have the same charm of its smaller-sized predecessors. The sub second is also a little small relative to the size of the case.

 

Nevertheless what is the list price for a new calatrava in white, yellow and red gold ?

 

They have the prices on their website. $40,220 USD for most of them.
https://www.patek.com/en/collection/calatrava

 

Strangely it says price on request when connecting from canada...
Anyway thanks for the info.

 

That is precisely why I love mine. It's an inoffensive classic that I can wear for the rest of my life....However it does tug at my heart strings.

 

simple, elegant and classy.not my cup of tea but you have to figure out how much will you use it and in which occasions. I don't think is a great piece for investment. do you think about an everyday use?

 

classic elegance and sophistication!

 

IMO it's the quintessential classic dress watch. To me, the Calatrava IS Patek, although everyone seems more interested in the Nautilus these days (I couldn't care less about it, personally).

If I won the lottery, it would probably be the first watch I'd buy. But in the real world, with my own money, I'd rather buy 10 Omegas.