The Patek Philippe Reference 5524 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time is the most discussed timepiece. A lot of true, but also wrong things have been said and written. Rumours here? No! I prefer to talk to Thierry Stern…
I was among the very first to publish pictures and in deep information about the Patek Philippe Reference 5524 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time.
The reactions were incredible and they still are. Even today the Patek Philippe Reference 5524 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time is the most discussed timepiece here in Basel at Baselworld 2015. Also among us journalists the opinions are extremely different: some like the watch, some don’t.
So to make the things clear, I very much like the new Calatrava Pilot Travel Time and I clearly spoke it out.
Now let us listen to the man who launched the Calatrava. It´s Thierry Stern, President of Patek Philippe.
Thierry will not only talk about the new Reference 5524, but also about his ongoing efforts to keep the family owned watchmaking pearl attractive, about the world-wide price adjustments he did and about the 500 Million Swiss Francs he invests in a new production site in Plan-les-Ouates at the Patek Philippe HQ.
Once again, I have said and written it already before: Well done Patek Philippe, well done Thierry!
Here again some pictures of the watch…
Patek is Patek, but this one is more Zenith than Patek…
I think m. Stern read my comment. I hope PP can break the log jam in the New York repair center.
I agree with Jay, Stern and Biver do provide the best interviews. Always insightful comments on the industry and their companies.
I regret to say that Patek Philippe Ref. 5524 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time does not excite me at all.
Alex thanks for bringing us that kind of insights. I really like the 5524 very smart move to have a blue dial color n not black like so many others. Like Mr. Thierry Stern said he wants to bring out different watches and I like that. At the end PP has to maintain their heritage and I applaud him to surprise us once in a while. Chapeau!
I like what Vacheron did this year with its chronometers, the new case of the Vacherons is big time. Back 70 years ago, Patek would make 3,000 watches. Now, they’re at 56,000. Even though the watches are hand crafted, it’s just too many for absolute exclusivity. The market has changed and the world is a lot wealthier now in terms of rich people. But for every very complicated watch Patek produces now, you know there is one just like it behind it.
The watch is a huge disappointment.
There is no innovation, no new design, and no groundbreaking technology.
This watch could have been designed on a computer program by a junior designer within a couple of hours. No problem.
It is so generic it could have been a Zenith, a IWC, almost any watch company around.
With Patek Philippe resources it is almost unbelievable that they did, in fact, design something like that.
In my humble opinion they did totally waste a huge opportunity to develop something truly special.
It looks like they decided to follow others instead of being the industry leaders.
It almost looks like they went on the least difficult road available.
Will it sell? No doubt in my mind!
Patek will sell anything they put their seal on. But this is not the way to get sells up.
Sorry. My Patek is the leader not the follower.
On a positive note, 5370P is an absolute stunner! THIS is what Patek is all about.
I do a lot of design on SolidWorks one of the world’s best Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs. To imply the design was done in a couple of hours exposes your ignorance of the process in general and specifically at PP. Whether you like it or not do not denigrate the process. PP made a large commitment to build the watch. Love it, hate it but respect the process.
I did not say the watch WAS designed in a few hours. I have said it COULD. The way the watch looks – basically a replica of many existing watches – it COULD easily be drawn on a computer within a couple of hours.
I am not sure about what commitment PP made. Neither do you.
All I am stating is the obvious – the watch looks like a replica of many existing watches and as such the artistic design is simplified.
PP could make a groundbreaking design, just like the Nautilus.
They could find and hire another Gerald Genta to help them with it if they could not do it on their own.
This watch is not the best work of PP. That is simply the truth. (I am not talking about quality here). My beef is with the artistic design.
I do expect much more from Patek, but maybe that’s just me.
I respect your passion for the brand. I truly appreciate and respect PP’s history and craftsmanship past and present. I agree with you to the extent m. Stern took a long shot; a radical departure from past designs. But I can’t accept the implied notion PP makes flippant design decisions. I believe PP is trying to expand its appeal and I cannot find fault with a good business decision. I think we can safely assume Patek Philippe will continue to appeal to you and others. The Nautilus is very cool and it is still in the collection. Yours in stainless steel for 33.500 USD
As an aside I wish I could afford ANY new Patek. I have an older Calatrava awaiting service in New York.
My deceased father-in-law had a saying, “It is all a matter of tastes and therefore absurd.”
Thank you for a good discussion.
I guess we both respect and adore PP, but disagree on small issues. That is ok.
I am currently close to be ready for 5526/1A Nautilus, what a great watch and a small piece of horology history.
Your father was right, as were the Romans: “De gustibus non est disputandum”.
But, again, my beef is not the looks of the watch per se (which is not bad at all),but rather the lack of a new, special design that could be always attributed and associated with PP.
In this instance PP was “leading from behind.”
Cheers,
Tom.
thank you Alex. your interviews with Stern and Biver are always the highlights of your Basel coverage for the frank, transparent and insightful opinions of both gentlemen. I commend Stern for maintaining the heritage, DNA, and integrity of Patek while at the same time having the fortitude and conviction to put out novelties such as the 5524 this year and the 5960 last year. these references inspire active discussions amongst watch collectors and lovers and this alone makes the fabrication of such references a worthy pursuit. bravo to you and bravo to Patek under Mr. Thierry Stern’s leadership.