How ridiculous would it be....

[mezzanine]

To get the crystal on a MBW Patek Philippe Nautilus AR'd?

I guess it goes to the bigger issue of whether it makes sense to have a rep of a gen watch that doesn't have an AR coated crystal even though it violates the cardinal rule of trying to approximate the gen as closely as possible. But consider that this rep isn't 'exact' anyways- both with the solid case-back and the connected dots on the blue-dialed version.

With vintage Pams or Rolex's, or even modern variants of those popular watches, that don't have AR on their crystals, I understand not wanting to mess with their legendary status. But with a watch like the Patek...especially the one with the blue-green faded dial, I can't help but wonder about how that dial could be brought out with a double AR coating.

I know it's supposed to be a watch from the 70's, but with Genta's designs, they're relatively timeless. It looks surprisingly contemporary. There aren't many watches that intrigue me as much- perhaps that's an effect of it's strange and divisive powers. And perhaps as a result of that unique quality it elicits in others- there aren't many watches that have sparked my imagination in the same way, in terms of how an AR'd crystal could impact on it's presentation.

I'm undoubtedly exposing myself for the non-WIS noob that I am...but ultimately it's about your own personal enjoyment of the watch. I'm still wrestling with it...and that's why I'm curious to hear some other opinions.

Would you AR coat a watch whose gen doesn't have AR?

That dial would absolutely come alive, with it's graded blue-ish dial. If the dial wasn't so unique, and already the colour of the AR coating, I wouldn't really be interested in the notion. Having seen the blue dialed SFSO with AR, it looks really cool.

Edited August 17, 2007 by mezzanine

[b16a2]

It completely depends on the reason you buy your reps.

If you buy them because you like the stlye of the watch but are not too worried about accuracy, then an AR coat would indeed bring the dial alive, and make it much clearer.

If however you buy them for accuracy, then an AR coat on a Patek would be like adding a Sparco steering wheel to a Rolls Royce.

Personally, I wouldn't.

[Stephane]

...then an AR coat on a Patek would be like adding a Sparco steering wheel to a Rolls Royce.