Modern vintage vibes: Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G Salmon Dial Watches and Wonders is a great show by Patek Philippe. While their brand new replica watches for men are getting a lot of attention, they have also released a pair with dials in rose gold-plated opal, commonly known as salmon. Today, we'll take a closer look at the hand-wound Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G Salmon Dial.

Chronographs have long been part of the Patek Philippe catalogue, first appearing in 1924. This particular design stands out to us today because of its stacked configuration, with subdials appearing at 12 and 6 instead of the more common 9 and 3 o'clock. Since then, Patek Philippe has relied on external sources for its chronograph movements – until 2005. That year, they launched the 5959P, a split-seconds chronograph. They released their own hand-wound movement (29-535 PS) in 2009, which was the year the Ref 5170 watch was released. The 5170 ran for ten years until it was retired in 2019 to make way for the 5172.

The change from 5170 to 5172 is obvious. While you might think of the Patek Philippe 5170 as a dress luxury watches replica, the 5172 takes things in a more casual direction. It also embraces traditional design philosophies, a direct return to vintage looks while giving way to modern preferences. For modernity, the case size was increased from 39mm to 41mm, the baton hands were replaced by luminous syringe hands, and the printed Roman numerals were replaced by applied Arabic numerals (also luminous). We also love the extra luminous dots at 4 and 8 o'clock, something that's missing from the 2019 version.

To bring balance to the design, the watch sports a healthy dose of vintage looks. For one, just look at those Art Deco lugs. These look like the side of a tube radio sitting on a table, and it's easy to transport yourself back to that era. Correspondingly, the pushers are simple drop-in pushers (as opposed to the 5170's square pushers), flanking the crown, which is now slightly recessed into the case body.

Another major change to the Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G is the applied salmon hue. When the watch was launched in 2019, it was dark navy blue. It's the classic look of platinum with a more modern feel. While salmon dials have been very popular in the past few years, we think its use on the dial actually pushes the watch towards a vintage look, achieving the effect that a “faux patina” dial watch can only dream of. In other words, this dial, combined with the other elements we mentioned - along with the boxed sapphire crystal - really sets up a watch from a bygone era in the wearer's mind.

Inside the Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G is the hand-wound CH 29-535 PS movement, which has a 65-hour power reserve and complements the vintage look of the replica watches price. Keen eyes will notice that this is indeed the same movement that powers the 5170 series. If it's not broken, why fix it? As before, the movement is manufactured in-house and bears the Patek Philippe seal of quality. Looking at the movement through the exhibition case back is to gaze at the art of mechanics.

Since it's hand-wound, you can see all the main components, and its finish makes it clear that this is a movement worth seeing. All chamfers on the components are finished and polished by hand, offset by the Côtes de Genève and circular textures that appear on the parts. You can also clearly see the chronograph meshing, as well as the balance spring whizzing past to drive the 4Hz frequency of the movement.

The most obvious competitor of the Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G is its predecessor, the 5170. While this is a very fine line, we would probably recommend the Patek Philippe 5370. While the dial layout looks very similar to the 5172 (as they both use a similar movement), the polished numerals and square pushers take things in a more formal and modern direction. The main difference with the 5370 is that it is a split-seconds chronograph. Set the pusher into the crown, and you can time two things (say, two runners on a track) with a single chronograph.high quality replica watches

If you prefer a sportier orientation, something like the FP Journe Chronographe Rattrapante is where you should be lighting your search lights. While it still offers a hand-wound dual-second chronograph (like the 5370), the overall look of the watch is that of a sports watch, here in platinum rather than steel. With its lugless design, square pushers and large date display, this is a very modern chronograph.

If we were to match the Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G Shopping replica watches with a real-life person, it would be the kind of person who appreciates the good things of the past. Maybe it's not resale shop hunting, but someone who believes that a well-constructed suit or dress, or welted shoes will last a lifetime and never go out of fashion. Yes, this lifetime buying mentality can be applied to all sorts of things (even watches), but there are reasons for opting for the finer outfits. You probably won't wear that suit or dress every day, but it's always an option, wears through the year, and always looks good. The Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G is serviced in much the same way, perhaps not for everyday wear, but always on call.

Of course, if you're looking for that timeless watch, there are plenty of different orientations, complications, and even attractive designs that you can choose from. For us, the Patek Philippe Chronograph 5172G captures the aesthetic of vintage chronographs well and truly, with a necessary nod to modernity and watchmaking competence. There's nouveau vintage, and there are watches like this one that look effortless and don't really need to put that label on yourself. It looks like it's from a bygone era, but it still works today - no doubt it will still be the same story decades from now.replica watches for sale