EDITOR’S PICK: Why I didn’t trade my collection for a Patek Philippe 5066 Aquanaut

Zach Blass

EDITOR’S NOTE: There are some members of the Time+Tide team whose watch collection seems to change on a monthly basis. There are constant purchases, trades, U-turns, I-can’t-believe-I-did-that moments. Their sheer love of watches means the horological merry-go-round never stops. Our deputy editor Zach is one of those guys. Here, he reflects on one time he didn’t pull the trigger.

Almost two years ago I had the opportunity to acquire a watch that was on my grail list – this Patek Philippe 5066 Aquanaut.

The deal

Not having an unlimited source of funds to blow on a beautiful watch, the transaction necessitated that I not part with one of my watches, but rather all of the watches in my collection (in addition to a few thousand dollars). Like a fantasy football trade, to get one of the best of the best it meant I needed to let go of some pretty well-known brands and watches to get close to their asking price. 

The Aquanaut

The 5066 really resonates with me for its discreet yet haute design that proudly displays its beautifully finished movement via an exhibition caseback. Being 36mm in diameter, with a less integrated rubber strap that was more flexible for my smaller wrist, it was a watch from Patek Philippe I felt could be a safe daily wearer, especially as the watch was over 100m water resistant (provided one routinely checked and maintained its gaskets).

In the moment, to make this deal happen, I was prepared to part with four watches that back then were the most valuable in my collection: a Grand Seiko SBGA211 “Snowflake”, Patek Philippe 3548 “Golden Ellipse”, Blancpain 1185F “Leman” Flyback Chronograph, and a panda dial Omega Speedmaster Automatic Date.

So, what happened?

Being ever sceptical of condition and what it could potentially mean for the total cost of the watch, I was put off by what seemed to be dirt or scratches found on the baseplate. It suggested that perhaps it had been mishandled by a non-Patek Philippe watchmaker in a service gone wrong.

Either that or the case might have suffered some ingress of water or moisture which had resulted in rust discolouration. Those were my two theories. Either way, a non-pristine movement was a red flag. When you think Holy Trinity, you think perfection. The silent accomplice in my head was shouting, “who would gnaw on a Patek like that?” It would clearly need to be serviced by the brand to restore it to its original glory.

I had just spent a small fortune restoring the 3548 months prior, and it concerned me that another rather large service bill would likely be necessary upon acquisition. My hesitation ultimately led to the vendor selling to an immediate in-person buyer, rather than wait for my decision (and trade watches).

Being in NYC, and with the dealer in Beverly Hills, there was no way for me to hold the watch in hand, let alone strike a deal in person. To add insult to injury, I would later learn from a watchmaker friend that the service cost would not have been as high as the cost to service my vintage Patek model.

It was not all bad news for me and my collection, however, as I would later go on to make a different deal that allowed me to keep my Blancpain and Grand Seiko and in return obtain a Rolex Submariner 114060 with full box and papers. 

If I could turn back time

Firstly, let’s be real. The watch has neatly doubled in value since this all went down. Of course I regret it. But, from a  bigger picture point of view, with the state of my collection as it is, I really can’t complain. I’m satisfied with what I have today. But it’s hard for me not to wonder what could have been. It’s a 36mm Holy Trinity diver I could have had on my wrist. The things I say to assuage my conscious is that maybe I would be too enamoured with it? Maybe every other watch I would have bought since then – as I built a collection from zero all over again – would still be sitting in their box? The other thing I say to myself is that maybe the price was low because the dealer knew it was damaged? My instincts might have been right. Short of landing an unexpected thirty grand, I will never know.