Is it worth buying a Patek Philippe Watch?

Therefore, you are considering a Patek Philippe watch, are you? I would like to discuss about these glamorous tickers. They’re not your regular boy-toy, bracelets I mean! To be more precise what is being discussed are those garments or accessories that may cost more than some cars. But are these quantized values worth it? Let’s find out.

The Patek Philippe Lowdown

Thus, Patek Philippe’s history started in 1839. Even sliced bread for which this is often humorously cited as the definitive marker of obsolescence, is younger. Frankly speaking these Swiss people have been making watches for a longer time than many nations in this world have been into existence. It is not just about making watches, it is several steps further – it is about making wrist-sized time machines.

What Makes Them Stand Out?

Handmade Goodness: Toothpaste; Everything that forms this product is made by hand. It has sort of likeness with building a miniature cratfsmen inside one’s watch.
Rare as a Unicorn: It is a very small scale industry that only produces about 60,000 watches annually. Sounds like a lot? No, not when it comes to worldwide.
Brainy Bunch: Lets face it, they have issued over 100 patents. I like the creativity of these guys; they are always dreaming up new stuff.
Cha-Ching Factor: Usually the price on such watches increases. It is very similar to fashioning a piece of clothing that looks like a miniature piggy bank.

The Price Tag: Gather Your Things, Get Ready!

Let’s talk money. These watches are pricey. Similar to such expressions as: I could’ve bought a house expensive. The basic models start at $20,000. And the most expensive? Actually, for that amount of money, you could probably acquire a small country, if not an entire nation.

Why so expensive? Here’s the scoop:

It literally can take hours to create one, yet everyone cannot seem to get enough of it. I’m not talking about tens of hours, am I?

They use fancy materials. Then there was the king, the queen, or rather bullshit of the party; gold, platinum, diamonds – the works.
The decision is made benefitting from experience that has been accumulated for years.
They are as scarce as Tickets to the Bieber’s sold out concert.

The “Ooh, Ahh” Factor

Well, now the scenario shifts to a rather amusing one. So, that’s not all these wrist watches are used for. And, at that, it factors like microscopic magicians on your wrist. Some of them can:

Remind you in what phase the moon is in (because we all need to be reminded at 3 in the morning)
Record the leap years because you might forget when February becomes extra sensual.
Display for you the various time zones (if you are the type that travels a lot … or the type that wishes to travel a lot).
It is as if you have a mini computer on your wrist but way classier and no constant beeping.

The ‘‘Look At Me’’ Factor

Let’s be real. If you are an intending buyer of a Patek Philippe, most likely you wish to have this piece draw attention. And they will. It would be shocking like having a neon light on the back of your t-shirt that reads ‘I am very rich’.

But here’s the kicker: At this point not all the people will be able to tell the difference. The brand hardly has the glamorous appeal that is associated with some other brands. It is better described as speaking in hushed tones, the kind you get when the statement is explanatory and goes like “If you know, you know”, sort of. You may be the only person who understands that this tiny piece of your wrist is luxurious.

The Downside: Opening the Flood Gates to Abuse

Before you start selling your kidney, let’s talk about some not-so-great stuff:

Upkeep is Expensive: These watches require the tender loving care, and as you can imagine, it does not come cheap. Where there is life, there is art, where there is woman, there is diva and where there is diva there is wrist watch.
Worry Factor: You might be too scared to wear it. ” What if, in the process of taking the TV remote, you accidentally scratch it?
Thief Magnet: Expensive watch = gold at your wrist. It is like that they are marketing a ‘Rob Me’ sign.
Addiction Alert: You can easily develop an appetite and feel compelled to purchase something that you probably did not plan on. You may say bye-bye with your savings account because as the name implies, it is strictly for investment.

The Weird and Wonderful World of Patek Philippe

Now, let’s get into some stuff you probably don’t know about these watches:

The Family Album

Patek Philippe has the record of every single watch that has been produced by them. That statement can be easily translated to saying that it is as if it is a photo album of the family, but for watches. If you buy one, you can type in the “birth certificate” on the Internet and find when this photo was taken and by whom was it initially purchased. It’s like ancestry. com for your wrist!

The Waiting Game

Some of the models can take several years now to be delivered to the market by Patek Philippe. Yep, years. It reaches a point people would wait for about a decade for specific models to be produced. It is almost like you are on a list waiting to be enrolled in the rarest club globally, and this is a club that can fit on your wrist.

The Secret Menu

Here’s a juicy tidbit: Many of the watches that this company makes are not listed in this catalog. They are so restricted that one has to be an invitee to purchase them. Indeed, those concept have a lot of similarity with a secret menu in your favorite restaurant, however, it costs much more and has less french fries.

The Time Capsule

Also, there are people, who purchase these watches, and then they keep them in a safe protecting from different influences. They store them in a safe, in the hope that one day they will increase in price. The latter is a time machine that generates cash. Alright, alright, come on where is the fun in that. This is like paying for a cake, taking it home, and still never tasting it from the original cake.

The Repair Shop

Patek Philippe has a policy where no matter what watch of theirs was made they will fix it even if it has been over a hundred years since it was made. That’s accurate, referring to works as if it is a treatment center for watches that the staff can always revitalize any ticker. It kind of reminds you of the watch whisperers.

Patek Philippe and the Rabbit Hole

If you begin exploring these watches, one can easily get lost in it. You might find yourself:

Understanding what “complications” are in the specific fashions of watch lingo, which merely means that it does other things.
Sneakily following auctions just to find out how much these babies will be cost
Subscribing to social groups and arguing about which model is better with other people who are interested in watches
For some reason, this week I was dreaming about watches instead of what a normal person dreams about.

It’s all a big big place and yeah, it’s not unusual that many people can end up getting rather obsessed. You’ve been warned!

The “Oh No, I Scratched It” Panic

Imagine this: You get your Patek Philippe, that you have been admiring for many years. You’re the first time wearing it. You’re feeling fancy. Then, disaster strikes! You are careless with your wrist and it hits a doorknob. Panic sets in. Is it scratched? You did not possibly lose $50 000 in value, did you?

This is the kind of stress that comes with owning one of these babies, look at the head line of their website. To some that have no idea of what the latter means, it could be likened to wearing a wristlet that cost more than a Bentley car at a gun point. Yes, they are but are you ready to court the wrath of this so-called ‘tough’ guy?

Play the”Is It Real?” Game

Here’s another fun aspect of owning a Patek Philippe: all and sundry, together with nearly everybody’s dog, would probably wish to know whether it is genuine. It seems that you will need to stand up for your watch being the best more frequently than you would prefer.

Inevitably people will ask others around them,
‘Is that a real Patek?’
“Can I see it?”
This always the next question: “How much did that cost?”

Expect the following questions. A lot.

So, What’s the Verdict?

Is a Patek Philippe Watch worth it? Well, that is like asking whether the expensive restaurant opposite that corner is justified. It differs depending on the priority that is set on the clock and on the size of the wallet.

If you have the money, are fascinated with watches, and expect it to last longer than your car and probably you, then it could be worth it. But if you are only in need of something to tell time, then you didn’t need this. Just use your phone.

All in all, at the core of it, it just a watch. Undoubtedly, it was a very, very nice watch, but still a watch only. Never be bankrupt on the people you are trying to impress. Real friends accept you as you are, shameful as it may sound, they would still embrace you even if you have a 10 dollar watch from the gas station.

But hey, if you do decide to get one, invite me to the unboxing more like come and have fun opening it. Don’t worry, I’ll do the oohing and aahing where it is required. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you buy me dinner with all that money you clearly have.