I Buy $1 Million of Patek Philippe Watches - But the Cubitus?

[@junboklee4532]

The Patek CEO's comments are far more damaging than that mediocre watch design.

[@quarters-eye8922]

The Cubitus is a train wreck. No need to sugar coat it.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I'm holding off judgement until I see it. Clearly, I'd love to see an original bracelet design and that double-digit center date on the standard model, but if it lands as a better watch than a 15510, I'd consider it a winner. Best, Tim

[@JamesAlexander14]

No, it is just not to your taste. I like it very much, though a Cartier Santos is much cheaper.

[@magnumbrown]

exactly but the media has a paid relationship with the brand so its in their interes tto sugarcoat

[@martinbauer3877]

The C&C Red Alert comparison is the most nerdy thing I've ever heard, absolutely love it. 🙂 Tim, please never change. It's always fun, entertaining and educating to watch your shows.

[@Nefville]

I used to play the hell out of that game.

[@fieldwalker]

Glad watches tonight is back! Not into Patek , but always into your show

[@the1916company]

Thank you for your support of my work. I hope to ensure it's fun each week regardless of topic. Best, Tim

[@JamesCarian]

Tim! Patek has such an extensive catalogue, it's impossible to recall all the references. The fact that you can peruse through them so casually with a litany of specs and history on each, is always impressive. This is another great way to generate endless show content...just keep hopping to different brands and make it a tour of pieces like this! With my limited knowledge of Patek, I'd say the two I'm most realistically interested in would have to be the blue variant of either the 5230P, or the 5930G. World timer is one of the complications I don't yet own, and they are both beautiful. Thanks as always for the show Tim!

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

Thanks James. Remember, there's also the new 5330 world time for a very different style and a new function. Best, Tim

[@Dr_LK]

It took them 25yrs to produce the same watch, a bit squashed. As for the disastrous interview of the CEO… tsk tsk tsk… I’m sure Patek could do better!

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

Even here, I starve the trolls with non-responses. It's always the best policy with haters. Best, Tim

[@Dr_LK]

@ I’m not a hater, but TS basically said ppl who can’t afford their watches are haters, lol, but I know many Patek owners who dislike the watch. Also he said that they don’t use external designers! Hello! Does the name genta rings a bell? He comes across as uncouth and with no knowledge! And come on, we are talking about Patek! After 25yrs this is their best effort?

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

@@Dr_LK Yeah, but Genta was 48 years ago with the 3700. I think it's pretty clear that Stern meant today, in 2024, they don't hire freelance designers or bureaus. That's reasonable. The 5235 was incredible. The 5738/51G is brilliant. And the 5226G looks fantastic. 5960/1A and 5990 are super clean and direct hits. Even Giorgetto Giugiero didn't design the 1967 Maserati Ghibli every single time. I'm amazed how the haters - and the most vocal are mostly that - have so little memory of Thierry Stern's dozens of design wins since taking over in earnest in 2009. Their lack of acknowledgement of any of that leads me to believe that a lot of this venom isn't coming from committed Patek collectors or experts with deep understandings of the brand's recent history. Even just 1-3 years ago, you find debuts that were roundly lauded. Best, Tim

[@jhrodriguez08]

The 5821 suckssss for that matter all of them cubitus do, get your Maen square watch 😂 , Family guy CEO is an arrogant nepo baby

[@vdbdg]

It's ok to say Patek, rather than Phâhtek. You let the brand slide on every aspect of this horrid release. And exactly who cares about the Neptune?

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

It's not horrid - the two tone version of the 5091/1JA was horrid. This feels like a preproduction concept that's a few focus groups removed from final release. That said, 2025+ variants and complications will have a lot to say about how this develops. Best, Tim

[@JamesAlexander14]

Who cares about your opinions?

[@Theo-ul8qm]

Very interesting picks, Tim! I know I can count on you to pick a Patek complication I never knew existed. I'm curious why you don't seem to gravitate to the vintage references popular in the auction world. I'm referring to the likes of the 1518, 2499, 2497, 1463, 1579 and so on. Some of them definitely fit in this hypothetical budget. Are you simply not attracted to them? Or do you not like the idea of owning watches that old?

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I mostly think of vintage as a bunch of hype invented by sellers and sustained by fawning authors. None of these luxuries cured Polio, so it's just a fetish of old things for their oldness. I included the late-build 3417 in my video collection and the new-vintage 1990s Neptune. But I see no reason to pay real estate money for a steel 1518 when I'd really rather have and wear the 5373P or the 5236P-010 for a ton less money. Don't get me wrong, I revere historians and history. The USS Olympia here in Philadelphia is a great exampled of history preserved for all the right reasons. You genuinely learn something about how sailors lived in the 1890s and how America became a two-ocean power. Unlike the old ship, there's really nothing to be learned from a 1518 about how people lived in the 1940s or the course of subsequent history. Then and now, it's just fashion for really rich people. That's fine, because I sell the like, but it's not special to me. Best, Tim

[@Pakiboyo]

What is it with the Swiss and naming collections? Cubitus? Code 11:59? Really? Hard to believe these are the same companies which came up with names as resonant with history and poetry as the Nautilus and the Royal Oak.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I sometimes wonder about these names. I was at AP's press conference for the Code 11.59, and while it's tough to encapsulate all the nonsense that was conveyed, the basic idea was that 11:59 is "immediately prior to the new day." The problem is that 11:59 is also immediately prior to lunch. I guess I'm just too literal for the Swiss crowd. Best, Tim

[@Pakiboyo]

@ I always wondered about that, shouldn’t a forward looking collection be named after the first minute of a new day? 12:01 perhaps? 11:59 is literally the “last minute” of the day and, going by their logic, the time when it is “darkest before dawn”. Both connotations you don’t want for your new collection. Would love to hear more about being at that launch Tim, sounds like a crazy day.

[@tomlucas4269]

i saw this casio patek in Austria this weekend

[@henryrawlinson3953]

I guess Tim knows they are to have a Patek Cubitus coming in soon to sell at huge mark up!

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

As an authorized dealer on the Patek side, we'll sell it at retail. Always do. Best, Tim

[@saphna2095]

the 5373p for athletics, floor drills and strength stuff😂👌I wish that became reality

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

You and me both. I use my chronographs for all the core strengthening stuff that's necessary for cycling but not actually conditioned during cycling. Fun fact: I walk 10 miles a week to and from work with a 10lb to 15lb pack to get load-bearing work for my muscles and bones. Best, Tim

[@henryrawlinson3953]

Nice to hear you sell all Patek at retail even but not used

[@rassf1]

This episode is very good to illustrate how the Cubitus is not the first (and possibly also not the worst) monstrosity to come out of PP 😆😆😆

[@robertsmelker2614]

So make it a Mido? Which is a homage to a Patek ….with better water resistance…. Also yes straps, smaller size and a bracelet that matches the case…..basically a full redesign

[@markfiori246]

I would buy these PATEK 5970P + 5204P + 5740g. The best TRIO

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

That's a great combination. Small and punchy. Best, Tim

[@markfiori246]

Perfect for my 16cm wrist!

[@amintaslneto]

Great picks Tim! With a million dollars budget in hands, my picks would probably be two implementations of the Patek 5004: one in platinum and another one in rose gold. All with black dials🙂

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I thought about mentioning a "one watch" million dollar collection at the end of the show, but I was short for time. If I were to put the money into a single Patek model, it would be the 5016. Two 5004s also do the trick. Best, Tim

[@sebastianeugenio5353]

Hey Tim, love all our stuff. Having said that, please stop being a sellout. I know Govberg is a top Patek dealer but no need to lie by saying you like it. Just say it looks ok and move on.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

Do you really think we have a pile of these to sell? I expect that every single allocated unit was sold long before this video. Best, Tim

[@Newerasamearea]

Nautilus will become their daydate Cubitus is their oyster Nautilus is their Explorer Their borrowing from the rolex segmentation and upgrade pathway playbook. Not having a Form/square movement was a big miss.

[@the1916company]

That's something they can fix. A form movement wouldn't really address any questions about the styling direction, but it would prove there's room and a will for this collection to grow for the long-term. A form caliber would feel right, but it needs to be the right size, too. That's why I'd like to see the large-format micro rotor 31-260 in the near term. It's round, but it has the proper scale. Best, Tim

[@osobad1127]

I feel this Cubitus will be super collectible as the backlash has been so strong Patek could discontinue this model and release a better model next year.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I doubt it would be discontinued for any reason. But if, for whatever reason, there's a direction change and the second or third-year models look very different, the first models could be incredibly collectible. Best, Tim

[@localheroEd]

Cubitus will wear like a 39mm regular watch if my maths is correct. I await Tims wrist shot to confirm… For my £1m, either 5236P or 5326G as a daily, birth year 4226 for evenings and 5177G for special occasions. Should have enough for an overpriced Aquanaut for sports (sailing, cycling, etc).

[@TheWatchOut]

It's a 45mm square watch. It will wear much larger than a 39mm round watch

[@localheroEd]

@ it’ll look big due to being a square, and broad from crown guards either side but it’s not going to wear as big as a 45mm round watch.

[@adkh5826]

I love this show! (In the style of Patrice Evra)

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

Thank you! Best, Tim

[@lawatson123123]

Cube > Cube 2: Hypercube

[@tomlucas4269]

Patek the Casio of watches

[@faizalhakim3772]

Missed the live show 😢

[@911euro5]

After spending 3 hours in the Patek Museum in Geneva this past July, I would definitely include a nice pocket watch in my million-dollar Patek collection. They have some absolute wonders of pocket watches in that place!

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

In a world where I have a million to spend, I definitely own a few Patek pocket watches. Honestly, the only reason I didn't include one here is because many are highly nonstandard and difficult to explain without going far off track on an historical tangent. But in short, I'd love an 843 (like #861,100) to go with my 5236. Best, Tim

[@barlow1973]

Who knows what the future holds for this model, but at first glance, the only thing that can be said about it is that the vast majority of fans, we do not like it at all. In my opinion it is a mediocre design, lazy and not worthy of this reference brand in watchmaking. Another issue is the CEO's statements, totally out of place for his arrogant attitude lack of temperance. If you can not improve silence, it is better to be quiet.

[@mahmoudghoneim8004]

Frankly speaking code 11.59 had something missing but with the Cubitus everything is missing design nnovation, size , movement innovation, 0 effort.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

Now imagine it with a purple metallic dial like the Tokyo 5330 and full tantalum with matching bracelet. It would slay. Best, Tim

[@FirestormAA]

Tim was that a tourbillon on ur wrist?

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

No, it's my Garrick S6. The sub-seconds dial is a different color than the main dial base. Best, Tim

[@FirestormAA]

@the1916companywatchreviews Hi Tim..... I zoomed in can't really see clearly. Looking forward for your next new purchase!

[@cdaack]

I think the double aperture grand date on the 5822P should be the standard on the model, as well. A larger micromotor movement or a square movement would make a lot more sense, as well. Make those adjustments (keep the bracelets because I love them) and I’d be all about it.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I'd love to see this. I'd also love to see it introduced with a 31-260 micro rotor and a full tantalum case/bracelet combo. Add a cool dial color like burgundy or purple, and... problem solved. Best, Tim

[@BenTramer]

Great show Tim. Surprised you celebrated Zuckerberg though.

[@the1916company]

Not really celebrated, more of a pop culture reference for the 1% of my audience that accidentally clicks the thumbnail expecting stuff like the other watch channels. Seriously, I can't even stand their video titles. Best, Tim

[@hackercps]

Its an overdone version of the Octo Finissimo. Bulgari already fully fleshed this idea out imo.

[@CESONER]

I made it! For the last two weeks I’ve been trying to figure out how to join this show while it’s live. I picked the wrong time to take a ride on my motorcycle… Thank you for the feature and what an incredibly interesting subject. If I had a cool seven figures to splurge on Patek Philippe?I would definitely spread it around and get a few different amazing pieces. Thank you Tim!

[@AbdulRWatches]

Missed the live, great show as usual Tim. I would definitely go for the 5960 in any version, preferably the steel with the bracelet. After that I would definitely go for the Neptune with the salmon dial.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

That's a great choice. I'd really love to know whether Patek thinks a steel 5960 also features a "true" 30-meter rating under its 2024 standard of ratings. Best, Tim

[@brownhairydog6472]

The pubitis will sell out and have waiting lists. So really doesnt matter what it looks like. It's a PP. All uber luxury brands trade on just that, the brand, not the product. Specs, looks, material don't matter. Having said all that, objectively the cubitus is disappointingly conservative and derivative.

[@DavidDatura]

The base steel Cubitus with the green dial looks fine really. I just don’t get why Patek decided to go so large with the cases of this new line. And don’t forget, square watches wear larger than round ones anyway. So the Cubitus is going to wear early naughties huge! As for the Neptune, still ugly as muck. 90s watch styling was severely lacking. For the most part, just too fussy and baroque IMHO 😬

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

Just as I speculated in the episode, it's likely the case size was selected to give Patek something to sell in the Royal Oak Offshore segment. Best, Tim

[@logwind]

Great show Tim. I'm warming to the Cubitus.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I'm trying to keep my mind open until I have a chance to see it in person. That might come as early as this week, so stay tuned. Even if I can't sell one online - and I can't - I'll post a hands-on with some firsthand impressions. Best, Tim

[@johnmonachelli5256]

Tim im sure the guys on 47th st will be happy to over polish a cubitus into the highly sought after nautilus

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

Will we even be able to tell the difference under all the lab-grown diamonds? Best, Tim

[@Reference-ev4nu]

The 5822P Cubitus looks great to me. It has a lot of innovation under the hood. The square watch shape is not for everyone. I would choose the 5470P reference instead of the 5373P to be part of the million dollar watch collection.

[@the1916company]

I like the 5470P choice. It's an extremely cool and animated watch in action. Best, Tim

[@cslimtube]

Speak the thruth.pls

[@scottroberts7463]

My fantasy Patek salon buys for a million- 5178G for 700K; 5326 G for 70K; 5205G-011 for 60K; 5968A for 130K; 6119R for 30K and a 10K tip for Tim.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I appreciate that last part. Great choices. There's a ton of value in the 5326G. Best, Tim

[@omara6693]

Tim you are being far too generous to Patek relative to the Cubitus. You know what this is, an utter failure on the part of Patek. Are you truly being objective with “it’s ok” but I’m reserving judgement until I see it.”??? You could have easily seen this watch hands on before this review. Did you intentionally avoid seeing it hands on so you could be a bit more generous on this review? Please be honest to these questions. Govberg/1916 is an AD of Patek and so it’s reasonable to assume you must be politically correct in your words. Real journalism and objective truth is what the audience wants. Thierry Stern controlling the narratives is unacceptable. For a first launch in 25+ years to come out with this squared Nautilus is lazy, unimaginative, lacks bold forward thinking ground breaking design.

[@dropthebag]

Tim isn't a journalist he's a salesman by his own admission. He's a great student of horology but I'm sure you can find the army of other reviewers who will bash it if that's what you want.

[@omara6693]

@@dropthebag it’s not about what I want. It’s about what is “objectively true”. There is such a thing called objective truth. Tim the salesman is bought out by Thierry Stern and therefore his attempt at watch journalism is really just trying to sell anything that makes him, 1916 and Patek a buck. That’s sales so I agree with you. And it has badly skewed his attempt to properly review the watch. The Cubitus is a disaster and disappointment, everyone who is not financially tied to the brand knows that’s true and honest about it. And that does not mean “haters who will never own a Patek” as TS so arrogantly alleged. Many Patek owners who are not sell outs or under TS controlled narrative are saying this. After 25 years the world’s “greatest brand” uses a ruler to “square up” a nautilus? Unbelievable

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

​@@omara6693 If Thierry Stern has "bought me out," then he wired the money to the wrong account. If you want a nuance-free trashing of the Cubitus, you'll find no shortage elsewhere online. And I'm not "attempting" watch journalism because, for the Nth time, I'm not a journalist. Best, Tim

[@omara6693]

Thanks for the response Tim. Thierry has not bought you out directly where money is wired to your account. You know exactly what I meant and you need to be careful how you speak about Patek and Thierry, that’s a fact so just be honest about it. A clear bias is there lacking an objective analysis on a boring square that clearly lacks innovation, ground breaking design and forward thinking from what some consider the greatest brand of all time.

[@yieuhannshen4464]

5373 P 🤤

[@Nefville]

The problem with the Cubitus is that its not a simple fix like the 1159. No dial swap is going to fix the shape, the Nautilus bracelet being grafted on to it, the wings, misshaped movement or enormous size. Strap options won't fix all of those issues either. A square watch isn't inherently sporty anyways, and for an entry-level Patek its very odd that it costs significantly more than a GOLD Calatrava. Poor styling, poor specs, poor value, the only solution is to give it the 🪓

[@Kogemate]

A vintage "Amagnetic", a WT 5531G-001 (the cgn boat and lake Leman speak to me as a Swiss), 5740/1G and some other rare handcraft.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

That would be an incredible four-watch collection. Consider the 5738/51G for your rare handcraft. Best, Tim

[@dalesmith7250]

There is already a Cubitus up for auction on Bezel.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

Not surprised. This kind of launch lends itself to flippers. Best, Tim

[@thewatchguyinc.7429]

Neptune is ugly now as it was ugly then no matter how few they made

[@michaelh8275]

Haircut...

[@bboooobbyy]

I didnt know that it's pronounced 'PAWteck'. Good to know

[@DiabeticDawg]

Saw the new cubitus models in Japan. They were actually sort of nice.

[@the1916companywatchreviews]

I suspected from the beginning that in-person is the best perspective on these. On that count, I remain uncommitted. Hopefully, I'll be able to test and review one soon. Best, Tim

[@GEMSofGOD_com]

Same. Wrist shots tho left me no doubt. Invicta is easier to pull off ​@@the1916companywatchreviews

[@L.A.C_Santos]

I love the cubitus. More each day, specially the green one.

[@quarters-eye8922]

Be serious.

[@bluemystic7501]

@@quarters-eye8922 It's pretty sharp.

[@andrewdavid9333]

100% agree with Tin and his plan for the ⏹