Why white gold Patek might win your heart over.

 Why white gold Patek might win your heart over.

The circle of watch collecting is something that can be predictable, we all start with something that people are well-known and well-aware of, and there is nothing wrong with that; we humans want to show a glimpse of our success to the world, some used watches as leverage and some used to create a good impression (not that I suggest anyone doing this) but hey, is your watch. I admit I might be guilty of that too. But once you discover more about the world of watches, you naturally lean into the realm of what so-called "under the radar" or something that doesn't attract anyone's attention unless there are watch nerds, and they be like, "hey, I know what you have there."

Here, we have maybe three of the most underrated white gold modern Patek ever, the simple 3-hander ref.5107g; for me, this is a modern take on the vintage Patek ref. 570 with crown guard and added date complications; 37mm in size and a thickness of just 9mm, powered by the automatic cal.315 SC, this model came in the Catalog back in 2002 and was discontinued in 2006. Four years after its release

it rarely came up for sale in the secondary market; the white opaline dial and the 37mm size make it fit like a vintage watch. And The fact that the watch ecstatic didn't change much from the ref.570 makes it an excellent option for someone who wants the feeling of a vintage watch but is more useable for everyday wear, plus the upgraded movement.

The second one, Patek's first in-house chronograph movement ch 29-535 PS after borrowing from a third party for more than 60 years, the Ref.5170g. For me, this is the splits image of the legendary Ref.130 from the 30s' the very first Chronograph from Patek; see the connection here? It's clearly a tribute to the 30s design icon;

The 39mm case size is the key point here; a few years earlier, Patek made the Ref.5070 but in a larger 42mm case size, which didn't go well with many Patek connoisseurs, but right after the Ref.5170 release, that totally check all the boxes.

It's the definition of clean, simple, and elegant. This is the root of Patek watches. Ref.5170, in my opinion, is the purest definition of a Patek Philippe. GRADUE POUR 15 PULSATIONS TO TIME THE HEART RATE, known by the collector as "doctor watch" with one of the most classic numerals, the Breguet numeral.

Lastly, the Patek Ref.5040G in Tortue case style, the most overlooked model in the Perpetual family; it might not attract the most crowns, but it's one of the best-value Patek perpetual calendars; I love this model because tortue case is rarely seen in Patek's watches

That also means the production is pretty small. The model was released in 1992 and discounted in 2008; the unique thing about this example is a "SWISS" only dial and a highly contrasting AM/PM, the very last branch of the Ref.5040 made in 2008.

If you're reading until the end, congratulations, you're a watch nerd like me and maybe on the path to finding something refined, clean, and simple but yet packs a lot of value and history; the answer might be one of the three watches here.