You’ll forgive me if while everyone is losing their you-know-what over Grand Complications and unique desk clocks, I take a moment to wax poetic about Patek Philippe’s most straightforward Watches and Wonders release, the new ref. 6196P-001. A member of the Calatrava line — the collection of simple dress replica watches for sale inaugurated in 1931 with the introduction of the reference 96 – the 6196P-001 is a 38mm time-only model in platinum. No fancy calendar apertures, no minutes repeated, no time zones travelled – the essence of this Calatrava is simplicity.
Take a look at the 6196P-001 fake watches wholesale and compare it to the particularly hot-right-now vintage 96 and you’ll immediately clock where the former gets its good looks. Though it’s been upsized from roughly 31mm to 38mm, the round housing—brushed with a polished bezel, in this case—with strong yet slim lugs is still there, as is the relatively small winding crown. The crystal is sapphire, below which sits a gorgeous opaline rose-gilt dial of the shade that the kids these days will invariably refer to as “salmon.” The design is simple: There’s an outer minute track consisting of applied dots; applied white gold faceted “obus”-style hour indices; a small-seconds indicator above 6 o’clock; and a matching alpha handset. Besides the brand wordmark and the word “Geneve,” nothing else upsets its stripped-back aesthetic.
The 6196P-001 copy watches for men is right up my alley as a nut for vintage Patek Calatravas like I am. It’s got the same aesthetics, feel, and vibe of august references such as the aforementioned 96, the 2526, the 2509, and others that have come to define the maison in the eyes of many as the best watchmaker in the world. Upsized for modern tastes and given an exhibition caseback, it’s certainly recognisable as a contemporary piece, but the aesthetics are pure 1930s, 1940s, or 1950s. If you love Swiss made replica watches from that era but don’t love the fuss of vintage movements, then it’s an excellent compromise.
At 9.33mm tall, this isn’t the world’s thinnest dress cheap UK replica watches, but that’s not really the point. A weighty platinum case is meant to be felt, not just seen, and to that end the 6196P-001 strikes a delicate balance that allows it to slip easily under a cuff without disappearing on one’s wrist. A transparent caseback reveals the Patek Philippe Calibre 30-255 PS hand-wound movement, a handsomely finished calibre with 65 hours of power reserve and hacking functionality. Paired to a chocolate-brown alligator leather strap with a platinum-prong pin buckle, the AAA China super clone watches’ overall impression is one of restrained elegance – the type that was common in Patek creations from the mid-20th century when the brand was churning out gorgeous classics at an alarming rate.
If I had to voice one gripe – and having just tried it on an hour ago, I only have one – it would concern the size. 38 mm is, to be fair, sort of a Goldilocks watch size in my personal opinion, but because of the 6196P-001’s flat profile and long lugs, it actually wears larger – more like 40mm. While I understand the need to cater to a wide range of luxury replica watches buyers, I wish this gorgeous thing was 36 mm in diameter, or 37mm at most. (During the presentation with Patek, I was also shown a perpetual calendar within the ladies’ Twenty~4 collection that measures 36 mm wide and wears like a dream. After all, there’s plenty of historical precedent for smaller complicated high quality fake watches UK – the famous ref. 1518 perpetual calendar was 35mm, as was the ref. 1463 chronograph.)
Not seven years ago, time-only Swiss movements replica Patek Philippe Calatrava watches cost somewhere in the realm of £17,000 in gold, and somewhat more in platinum. These days, the ref. 6119 will run you £25,585 in rose gold, while the new 6196P-001 will set you back a cool £36,419. And you thought eggs got pricey! Even so, there is no denying that this gorgeous new time-only reference, the contemporary spiritual successor to some of the best dress 1:1 China fake watches ever made, is worth the price of admission. At this rate, it’s sort of guaranteed to be a future classic.
