March 30 2006 at 6:34 PM

Despite the generally effusive praise for the new Patek models this year, I have to say overall I am a little disappointed (even though Patek is by far my favorite brand). Maybe I expect too much.

But thought I would share some impressions: 5130 World Timer--looks to me like Patek kept the same central dial (but with new guilloche pattern) and spread out the outer time zone ring to get things into a bigger case. The whole feeling (especially with the vintage hour hand) is akward to me compared to the 5110. Not an improvement IMHO.

5140 perpetual calendar--if I am not mistaken, isn't this just a 5136 on a strap? Why not a perpetual in a case larger than 37 mm? Certainly an improvement, but marginal.

5396 annual calendar--this is the one I like the best of the bunch. Looks like the offspring of a 5296 and a 5125 Wempe annual. If they had just put a classic look like the 5125 in a modern size case without all the distraction of the 5296 dial markings, this would have been unbeatable. Maybe I will like it even more in WG.

5350 advanced research series--very nice, but not really breathtaking after the 5250.

5135 annual calendar in platinum--beautiful. There's a watch to have IMO.

Minute repeater with annual calendar--wow! But with an annual vs a perpetual?

5104 minute repeater, etc--I don't get this one. Maybe it's just too far above my head. My eyes are pretty good, but I can't figure out this watch.

So IMO there has certainly been some nice evolution of the Patek line with some nice new watches. Maybe too much tendency (started in years past) to re-case existing movements in larger cases. Nothing revolutionary recently except the 5960. It's interesting that the 5960 has taken such a beating in these forums while other new offerings that IMO are not very impressive already have long waiting lists, based upon some of the reaction here.

Can't wait to see the new Nautilus line.

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I wonder if my impressions will be unbiased? PP is not my favourite brand, not sure if I have one, so i just look at each model on a standalone and decide

1) Seems odd that there is an annular with a repeater. Nothing wrong just seems odd to me. Patek does like their annual complication so not surprising I guess.

2) 5396 I like the layout of the new annual calendar but not sure I like the style. As a note I don't really like the look of the 5296 (too many sectors/rings). However, in Suitbert's "live" non-CAD pictures, the new watch does look better, so wait for the metal.

3) 5130 World Timer, still undecided. I actually like the quirky hour hand and its link to an older historical watch helps. also a more spaced out city ring is also better. Still not sure if everything all fits together as I like, so again will wait to see in the metal. 4) The others are nice but nothing grabs me, just different metals or dial colors or slightly larger case.

So the watches I do love from recent PP (without thinking about the uber complications) are 5050/5059, 3970/5970, 5056, 5053

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