A Trio of Patek Philippe’s: A Platinum 5109P, Black Dial Tiffany Signed 5170G, and a Vintage 1578R.
Vintage Patek Philippe reference 1578R.
Hopefully in what will eventually become a themed series, I thought it would be interesting to speak to collectors about their three-weekend watch collection. In the inaugural write-up, I had the pleasure of chatting with a private collector who I had met a little over two years back on social media. While visiting the South Florida area, he brought a trio of Patek Philippe watches on the road, and was kind enough to allow me to share them.
Platinum Gondolo Patek Philippe reference 5109P
While he strictly collects Patek, the Cartier Tank is one of the timepieces which has garnered his attention over the years. However, after seeing a photo of the reference 5109P on social media, interest in the Tank had been sidelined for good.
Picking the watch up for the first time, the heft is considerable. It is certainly one of those timepieces you have to hold to grasp why it is worthy of praise. The sleek look of the white metal and sober dial makes it a very understated timepiece. The minimalism of the applied numerals and railroad harken are very subtle, while the enhanced “PATEK PHILIPPE’ dial text could in my opinion perhaps be a bit smaller. Produced for only a five-year window from 2003-2008, my first impression of the Gondolo was quite eye-opening, as it certainly wouldn’t be a reference I normally gravitated towards.
The watch is powered by the calibre 215 PS (PS indicating subsidiary seconds). The round manual wind in-house movement features a 44-hour power reserve. Along with the Gondolo models, the cal. 215PS also powers Calatrava models such as the referernce 5196.
“The 5109P is the total sleeper from the 2005-6 collection. The Arabic 12 and railroad track dial are unique to the platinum version.”
Regarding his first platinum watch, he expressed his opinion that it is somewhat of a bargain compared to what most platinum Pateks trade at on the secondary market. Typically trending below $20,000, this timepiece seems to evade the Nautilus crowd’s attention. “No one seems to appreciate it… other than me!” he emphasized while I scanned some of the recent sales at auction.
Tiffany-signed Patek Philippe reference 5170G with black dial
On his wrist was a special modern timepiece that was particularly special, a black dial Tiffany-signed reference 5170 in white gold. According to the collector, only 12 black dial Tiffany dial 5170Gs were sold.
“A couple of high profile American collectors and some based in Asia were able to purchase them.”
It came into his possession by pure happenstance. Strolling into the Tiffany boutique in New York, he met the store manager, where an instant friendship was formed. Despite not having any purchasing history at the retailer, the pleasant interaction earned him a call for his first Tiffany timepiece.
While the Tiffany stamp makes it a show stopper, it still is capable of flying under the radar when compared to the 5170P with the blue dial. To many, it features the best attributes of the reference. Showcased from the less common black dial, the highly legible white 60-minute track really commands ones' attention. In addition, the beautiful applied-Breguet numerals create uniformity. While it may be a bit on the formal side, the collector is currently in the process of pairing it with a blue strap to change things up.
Vintage Patek Philippe reference 1578R.
