hello everyone.
July has come around in the blink of an eye, and 2020 has already reached the halfway point. As I mentioned last time, the auction results seem to indicate a favorable economic situation, and the winning bid was surprising considering the current market price.
The auction will be held in Hong Kong next week, and we are very excited to see what the results will be. If you are interested, we will be posting the results on Instagram, so please follow us and check them out! ⇩⇩⇩
Well, this time I was going to write about the current model "Ref. 5270", but before that, there is a model called "Ref. 5970" that we must not forget, so I would like to write about that one. I will write in a way that conveys the essence of [Patek Philippe] , so please stay with me until the end.
"Ref.5970"
The successor to the Ref. 3970, the Ref. 5970, was announced at Baselworld in 2004.
* "Ref.5970G" Reference: PHILLIPS
The movement is the same hand-wound Cal. CH 27-70 Q as the Ref. 3970. While inheriting the classical design of the Ref. 3970, it adopts the square push buttons seen in the first generation of the Ref. 1518 and Ref. 2499 introduced two issues ago, and while the size has been increased from 36mm to 40mm, it has a tachymeter on the outer edge of the dial, maintaining an exquisite balance.
If I recall correctly, at the time of its release, it was only available in WG (white gold) and RG (rose gold) cases. I believe the official domestic list price was also below 10 million yen. At the time of its release, the "Ref. 3970" was still more highly regarded in the market, and it was possible to purchase it at a relatively reasonable price, even if it was unopened or new.
In 2008, a new color, YG (yellow gold) case, was added.
* "Ref.5970J" Reference: Christies
Coincidentally, this was the same year that Lehman Brothers Holdings went bankrupt, triggering a chain reaction of global financial crises known as the "Lehman Shock." The watch industry was also unable to avoid a drop in market prices due to this unprecedented financial crisis, and for the next few years, some watches were available at fairly reasonable prices.
Please also read the following article about the changes in the watch industry after the Lehman Shock.
『MASTER'S COLUMN』What will happen to watch buying and selling after the economic fluctuations?
The long-awaited PT (platinum) version "Ref. 5970P"
Perhaps as Patek Philippe had planned, production of the YG immediately ceased, but the following year, either at long last or at last, the perfect combination of a PT (platinum) case and a black dial was released.
* "Ref.5970P-001"
When I first saw this dial, the difference from previous dials was immediately obvious, but what particularly caught my eye was that the numbers for the date display at the 6 o'clock position on the subdial were now clearer and easier to read. As for the color of the dial, it is basically silver except for the platinum case, but the color varies depending on the case.
While this is partly subjective, the WG case appears to be a cool silver with a strong grayish feel, the RG case appears to be a slightly warmer silver, and the YG case appears to be a whiter silver with a more classic feel.
It's impressive how Patek Philippe changes the color for each case.
"Ref.5971P"
Here I would like to mention one more thing, the Ref. 5971P.
*Ref.5971P Reference: PHILLIPS
The black dial with PT (platinum) case and diamond index, the bezel set with 36 baguette-cut diamonds (approximately 3.88 carats), and the platinum buckle set with 6 baguette-cut diamonds all give this watch a special feel. (laughs) I've seen a number of these in the past, but I haven't seen them much recently, so this is a watch I'd like to commit to.
summary
I think that the "Ref. 5970" is a masterpiece model that successfully brings the classic design of the past into the modern era and is also practical as a watch. The production period was short, from 2004 to 2009, so I personally think that it will maintain its value as a watch and have the potential to increase in market price in the future.
Regarding the perpetual calendar chronograph, I apologize for the length of this post, as it contains not only my thoughts about the watch but also the background and background behind it. Next time, I would like to conclude the post by writing about the current model, Ref. 5270, and some additional information.