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Patek Philippe

New Iintroducing: Patek Philippe Calatrava vs. Lange Saxonia

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New Iintroducing: Patek Philippe Calatrava vs. Lange Saxonia

A complication is a pretty thing, but it certainly doesn’t improve the legibility of a watch’s time display. And since the time of day is the most frequently sought information on a watch’s dial, it makes perfect sense to concentrate on the bare essentials: hours, minutes and perhaps also a subdial for the seconds hand to show that the watch is still running. Even the presence of a date display can detract from the perfect harmony and clarity of a dial. The beauty of A. Lange & Söhne’s Saxonia and Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Reference 5196 resides in their simplicity. Absolutely nothing superfluous can be found on these gorgeously pure wristwatches. Both brands rank among the world’s finest manufactures. And each has roots that reach back to the 19th century. Ferdinand Adolph Lange founded the original A. Lange & Söhne in the small town of Glashütte in the Kingdom of Saxony (in what is now eastern Germany) in 1845. Lange developed the three-quarters plate and built pocket watches famous for their high quality. They were universally acknowledged as the finest timepieces made in Germany. The company was disbanded in 1945, and only in 1990 was the A. Lange & Söhne name resurrected by a new company founded, like the first, in Glashütte. The company is now owned by the Richemont Group. read more

Patek Philippe

Watch Review: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A

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Watch Review: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A


The Nautilus collection was introduced in 1976. Patek Philippe was looking for a strong design and an inimitable personality. An inspiration for its design soon emerged: The universal shape of a porthole found on virtually all maritime vessels. The original model was the Ref. 3700/1 in steel. Since then, the Nautilus has established itself as a classic, elegant sports watch and the original reference is one of the most sought-after timepieces at auction. The new Nautilus collection showcases the flattering redesign of Patek Philippe’s casually elegant classic. It has gained style through subtle and carefully calculated changes while preserving its original spirit.
Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A ($20,000 – $30,000)
Here’s another watch with a porthole-inspired case, designed by Genta just a few years after the launch of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak that I ranked just above it. The sharp edges aren’t here and the dial pattern is even more electric than the Clous-de-Paris on the Royal Oak’s dial. Although the very first Nautilus watches used the same ultra-thin movements as the Royal Oak Jumbo did (based on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Caliber 920), Patek quickly replaced these with its own in-house developed Patek Philippe movements. The re-launch of the Nautilus 3700/1 (which became the 5711/1A) took place in 2006, 30 years after its first introduction; the new models now come with a second hand. Although the retail price of the Nautilus is slightly higher than that of the Royal Oak Extra-Thin Jumbo, the resale value of the Nautilus is a bit stronger and might be worth the extra dollars. The Audemars Piguet and Patek Philippe watches on this list are of the same breed, and picking one of them is simply a matter of taste. Here is a comparison between the very first Nautilus 3700/1A and the newer model (5711/1A). read more