Alright, let’s talk about the Patek 5396. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and just had to have this specific watch. It sort of crept up on me. I’d been fiddling with watches for years, you know, buying, selling, trading the usual stuff. Saw a picture of the 5396 somewhere, probably online, maybe a magazine, can’t recall exactly. Just thought, “Huh, that looks clean.” Annual calendar, moonphase… looked complicated but neat.
Took me a while to actually pull the trigger. These things aren’t exactly cheap, are they? Did a bit of digging, talked to a guy I know who’s deep into this stuff. He gave me the usual spiel about heritage and craftsmanship. Yeah, yeah, I get it. But I wanted to know what it was like to actually live with one. Anyway, eventually found one through a dealer I trusted. Went through the whole wire transfer thing, waited nervously for the shipping confirmation. Felt a bit ridiculous spending that much on something that just tells time, but hey, you only live once, right?
Getting Hands-On
When the box arrived, I opened it up. Felt solid. Heavy in a good way. The dial looked way better in person than in pictures. Put it on my wrist. First thought: “Okay, don’t bang this on anything.” Seriously, that was the main feeling for the first few weeks. Bit of paranoia.
Setting it up was… an experience. You get these little pusher tools. Gotta poke tiny buttons recessed into the case side to set the date, day, month. Felt like performing surgery. Read the manual like three times. Didn’t want to mess anything up. The moonphase is cool, but honestly, who really needs to know the exact phase of the moon on their wrist? Still, looks nice.
Day-to-Day Stuff
- Wore it quite a bit initially. To the office, dinners out. Felt fancy.
- Accuracy was fine. Didn’t time it to the second or anything, not that kind of guy. As long as I wasn’t late for meetings, it was doing its job.
- The strap was comfy enough after breaking it in. Standard leather strap stuff.
- Caught a few people looking at it. Usually other watch nerds. Got the occasional “Nice Patek” nod. Most people didn’t notice or care, which was fine by me. Wasn’t wearing it for them.
The Reality Kicks In
After the honeymoon phase, things settled. Started wearing it less. Why? Well, a few reasons. That paranoia about scratching or banging it never fully went away. Found myself reaching for my tougher, less expensive watches for daily wear. Saved the Patek for quieter days or specific events.
Then there’s the servicing. Knew it was coming. Patek recommends service every few years. It’s not like taking your car for an oil change. You send it away, it costs a small fortune, and you don’t see it for months. Haven’t had to do it yet, but the thought is always there in the back of my mind. It’s a commitment, owning something like this. More than just the initial price.
Sometimes I look at it in the watch box. Still admire it. The movement through the case back is incredible, all those tiny parts working together. But do I need it? Nah. Is it cool to have? Yeah, kinda. It’s a funny thing. Ended up being more of a “special occasion” piece than the regular companion I maybe thought it would be. It just sits there most days. Still glad I experienced it, though. It taught me a bit about what I actually value in a watch day-to-day, and maybe it’s not always the fancy complications or the big name.
