What is the best Patek Philippe to collect?

Are you an avid fan of the Patek Philippe watch and looking for the best Patek Philippe to collect? Well, you’ve landed the right article.

Ask any watch enthusiast, retailer, or auctioneer, Patek Philippe is generally recognized as the most prestigious watch brand in the world and they will probably agree.

However, if you ask them to own the most desirable, common, or best Patek Philippe watch, it will be difficult to come to a consensus.

The scope of the history and portfolio of Patek Philippe indicates that there is a Patek watch for various tastes, but the demand shows that certain models are certainly the favorites of the collector.

Here are 4 watches that reflect the most desired designs from Patek Philippe, and what makes them so desirable.

Best Patek Philippe to collect

1. Calatrava 5227

Patek Philippe Calatrava 5227 is one of the best Best Patek Philippe watches to collect. The Patek Philippe is associated with mechanical and dynamic problems, such as perpetual calendars and global timers, for many.

But it also has a set, called the Calatrava, of powerfully subtle dress watches. The minimalist style, launched in 1932, was considered to be the embodiment of the ideal dress watch, with perfect dimensions and only the date as a complication.

In 2013, Calatrava ref. 5227 was introduced by Patek Philippe, which can be viewed as a concession to modern times. Usually, Calatrava’s watches are smaller, so the 39mm was a long-awaited change. Ultimately, a Calatrava to match modern wrists.

Even with the bigger scale, what makes ref. 5227 well-loved is that. It has the correct classic Calatrava components-the delicate round case, the hands of the dauphine, and the clean dial with gold indices added.

The case back of the officer is a charming touch that opens on an invisible hinge to reveal the movement, a function that took two years for Patek to perfect.

2. Perpetual Calendar 3940

Patek has many celebrated ultra-complicated watches, but the Perpetual Calendar 3940G would take some contextual history to understand. Compared to other complicated Pateks, its relative affordability has made it is a very overlooked product.

It’s one of the most significant watches in the history of modern Patek Philippe. It was the first ever-calendar, highly complex, serially manufactured timepiece and is still one of the longest-running production references in Patek Philippe’s history, as it was continuously produced between 1985 and 2006, spanning four different case metals and four different dial iterations.

Of course, not to be forgotten are the fantastic aesthetics of the watch. The 3940 has a pleasing vintage look, with a white opaline dial, dauphine hands, and symmetrical subdials.

Aside from its history, the design of 3940 is also one to marvel at. It is powered by the all-new, ultra-thin caliber 240.0 that was then. This gave way to the sleek and remarkably slim 9mm case of the 3940 that fits tightly to the wrist.

The architecture is an exercise of discipline, which Patek Philippe is renowned for, even with all its functions.

3. Nautilus 5711

When it was first applied in 1976, the Patek Philippe Nautilus made waves. The conservative watchmaker introduced a genuine sports watch, and not only that, while most watches were in precious metals, it came in steel and it was priced steeply.

On the thirtieth anniversary of the 2006 Nautilus, Patek presented ref. 5711. Although combining modern architecture and a new in-house trend, it was true to the design of the original Nautilus.

Combined with a utilitarian purpose and a timelessly elegant design, the significant back story reignited interest in the Nautilus. The 5711 is the most expensive steel sports watch on the market today and is said to have an 8-12 year wait-list for approved dealers.

4. Patek Philippe, Ref. 1518

For those attempting to put together a vertical series of perpetual calendar chronographs of Patek Philippe, this is a grail piece.

It is the first-ever calendar chronograph ever manufactured in series by any watchmaker and has remained so for nearly 40 years. The 1518 design set the template for the perpetual calendar design lineage of Patek Philippe.

A global treasure search may be involved in trying to locate 1518 in great condition. Many major collectors already have an example in their collections and continue to look for even better-preserved examples.

Around half of those ever produced have already surfaced on the market, so there is still great excitement when a new one comes to light. If you can, buy one now.