I was cruising the watch sub-forum when I realized there weren't many threads on watch discussion/opinion; mostly pictures. During the day today, as I often find myself doing, I was day dreaming about the perfect dress watch. Obviously my mind was flooded full of insane horology - Patek Philippe 5960p?? NO- ref 5004!! Well, there's always the Vacheron Constantin’s Quai de l’Ile retrograde annual calendar with its gorgeous rose gold case... But what about breguet, or audemars piguet jules audemars collection?? It was then that I realized that this was an impossible task, there are far too many impressive complicated watches out there.

At this point I changed my question to, what is the best non-complicated dress watch? This is an area with many watches as well - Patek, Audemars, Breguet, and VC, they all have players in this range. For me, the two that kept coming up as the dress watch I would pick were the Breguet classique automatic and the Patek Philippe calatrava. IMO they are the big contenders for the title. How could they not?? Breguet has been making watches since 1775, with Abraham-Louis Breguet inventing the tourbillon! Patek has been around since 1851, and is still a private watchmaking company known for some of the most advanced complications.

So, I decided to make this poll to see which one out of these two you would pick. I know there are a plethora of other options, but for me these are the tops.

Some info on each piece:

Breguet Classique Automatic Ultra Slim
Ref: 5157ba/11/9v6
MSRP: $16,200
18k yellow gold with brown crocodile strap
38mm. Display case-back





Patek Philippe Calatrava
Ref: 5196R
MSRP: $20,900
18k rose gold with brown crocodile strap
37mm.




For me the decision I came to over and over again was the breguet. There is something magical and old-world about the classique, something that I can't quite articulate. This watch looks gorgeous! The breguet-style hands in blue, the guilloché on the dial, the roman numeral markers, and the simplistic perfection put it over the top. Plus I love the history the breguet has.

 

Breguet over the Calatrava any day.

 

^+1
Who's going for what?

 

I have always loved that Breguet - almost bought it once.

The Patek is great but too plain IMHO.

Hey, Napolean had a Breguet. /Game Over.

 

DO IT!! you haven't gotten a watch in a month
Btw- Einstein had a Patek!

 

pic?

 

I'd take the Patek, though I do very much like the Breguet. In my mind, the companies play on two different levels. After Breguet's slight restructuring in '76 and inclusion in the Swatch portfolio, they just don't carry the same prestige as a true independent such as Patek. Additionally, when considering their body of work in comparison to Breguet, it's hands down dominated by Patek, and a look at important watch auctions of late speaks to this as well (Sotheby's latest, for example).

 

All very true.

But in a limited choice between the two watches in question, I would take the Breguet.

Overall, I favor the Patek line as well.

 

I agree that breguet loses some of it's panache as it is no longer completely independent. However, I do believe everything that was in-house still is. As to your point on the auctions, I agree completely- no one matches PP. But all the auction pieces have been advanced complications. As for my fun little poll I was merely lookin at non-complicated pieces. If I were looking into a grand sonnerie, an annual/perpetual calendar or chrono I would get a PP. If I wanted a simple dress watch or a tourbillon I would get a breguet. Or if I was going crazy I would just get a G&F with a pair of tourbillons

I have never had any on and I am not able to buy either. My next big decision is IWC Inge vs rolex sub.

 

Between those two I would go Breguet The PP is little on bland side, the dial is stellar on the Breguet. More interesting for a non-complicated watch IMO.