Patek Philippe Calatrava

The Patek Philippe Calatrava is a line of dress watches built by Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe.[1] Known for its simple and elegant design, the Calatrava wristwatch has been a flagship model of Patek Philippe since its introduction.[2][3][4] The first version of the Calatrava was launched in 1932, inspired by the Bauhaus principle.[5][6][7]

Patek Philippe Calatrava
A circa 1999 men's quartz Calatrava in yellow gold, with second hand and date.
TypeAutomatic, Manual
DisplayAnalogue
Introduced1932

History edit

Patek Philippe Calatrava wristwatch was introduced in 1932, and the first model was Ref. 96.[1] It took its name from the Order of Calatrava, one of the most notable Christian knighthood orders, which played a major role during the crusades.[8][9] The watch was originally designed by Henri Stern soon after his father, a dial manufacturer, acquired Patek Philippe in 1932.[10][11] Calatrava was introduced to help the company pass through the Great Depression smoothly.[10]

The original Calatrava Ref. 96 was produced for over 40 years. Its successor models include Ref. 2526, Ref. 3520, Ref. 5196, and so on.[3] Introduced in 1985, Ref. 3919 was the most popular model in the Calatrava range, with its signature guilloché "Clous de Paris" bezel.[12] After 21 years, it was replaced in March 2006 by the slightly larger 5119 model.[5] This change in size reflected a growing trend for larger watches.

Watch specifications edit

Patek Philippe has developed a quartz movement, but it is not currently used in the Calatrava range.[13] The only Calatravas earlier using a quartz movement were the 3744 (E27 movement, no date, no second hand) and 3944 (E23 movement, date, second hand).

Some Calatravas (such as the 5227) feature a date function, whereas others (such as the 5116, 5119, 5120, 5123, 5196) display only hours and minutes (and, in some cases, seconds).[14]

Price record edit

A Calatrava 2526 model retailed by Tiffany & Co. in 1954 was sold for US$642,500 at an auction in 2018.[15]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Patek Philippe | Company | History". Patek Philippe SA. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  2. ^ Lim, Terence (2017-10-11). "Patek Philippe And Its German Art Movement Connection". Philippine Tatler. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  3. ^ a b Clymer, Benjamin (May 18, 2016). "In-Depth: The Patek Philippe 2526, And Why It's A Watch To Pay Attention To". Hodinkee. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
  4. ^ Shapira, J. A. (2016-04-27). "The Patek Philippe Calatrava: Complicated Simplicity". www.gentlemansgazette.com. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  5. ^ a b "Patek Philippe Company". Patek Philippe SA.
  6. ^ "History of the Patek Philippe Calatrava Part 1 - The Reference 96". Monochrome Watches. 2017-09-05. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  7. ^ "The History of the Patek Philippe Calatrava | The Loupe, TrueFacet". 2018-10-12. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  8. ^ "Patek Philippe". www.hautehorlogerie.org. Retrieved 2019-01-05.
  9. ^ "Patek Philippe". www.thehourglass.org. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  10. ^ a b "The Inspiring Story of The Calatrava". The Hour Glass Official. 2018-07-19. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  11. ^ "Patek Calatrava | Patek 5127 J : The Once and Future King". www.thewatchbox.com. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  12. ^ "Introducing Patek Philippe Calatrava "Clous de Paris" 6119 Hand-Wound". Monochrome Watches. 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  13. ^ "Patek Philippe | All Models | Luxury Watches & Timepieces". Patek Philippe SA.
  14. ^ "Patek Philippe | Calatrava Collection | Classic Watches". Patek Philippe SA.
  15. ^ "Patek Philippe Calatrava Leads Heritage Auctions With World-Record $642,500". Antiques and The Arts Weekly. 3 May 2018.

External links edit