Patek Philippe Calatrava Watch Review

Patek Philippe Calatrava Watch Review

Patek Philippe Calatrava Watch Review

The Patek Philippe Calatrava

A set so frequently considered because the peak of luxury, it is the current-day “Grail watch” for thus many collectors, of both vintage and contemporary watches. Famous initially because of its simplicity, originality, and timelessness of design, the Calatrava series set out of the begin to stick to the German Bauhaus school of design, which championed the tenets of minimalism and functionality.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Watch Review

Released in 1932 soon after Patek Philippe’s acquisition through the Stern family, the Calatrava series was named following the Calatrava mix, produced from medieval Christian heritage, which Patek uses since it's corporate emblem. The Reference 96 (pictured above), the initial within the series, was groundbreaking because of its time - starkly contrasting the greater intricate dial and situation types of the preceding years (think Art Deco and early pilot watches).

Today, around yesteryear, the Calatrava series maintains an esteemed standing in the realm of horology. Though now that we know it through a variety of references, we are focusing our “Vintage Eye” upon the Ref. 5196 (examples below), a modern day re-interpretation from the original design.

Obtainable in platinum or white-colored

Yellow or rose gold, this 37-mm, by hand wound watch strongly resembles the 31-mm piece in the early 1930s. Using its sleek situation, understated signed crown, and flat bezel, the timepiece is comparatively thin and designed to slip easily beneath a shirt cuff. Around the dial is really a somewhat textured, silvered background for that applied gold, tick hour markers, an overview of the applied gold outer minute ring, along with a minimalist, small seconds sub-dial toward the 6 o’clock position. The dauphine hands, an individual favorite style selection of mine (see my coverage from the Grand Seiko), are operated by Patek’s Caliber 215 PS, a movement having a power reserve of approximately 44 hrs, and also the watch comes with an overall thinness of 8 mm.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Watch Review

As compared to the original Reference 96, the current 5196 pays things i find to become a respectable homage to the vintage heritage. Using its applied, understated hour markers, dauphine hands, subdial, and slim situation - the current piece might have not a problem potentially passing itself off like a vintage timepiece. Also, among the features that pulls much praise this is actually the 5196’s solid, polished caseback. Most makers of contemporary, luxury watches today, choose to demonstrate the watch’s intricately decorated movement via a obvious caseback, however with the 5196, Patek opted rather opted to follow along with its Bauhaus heritage and truly allow form to follow along with function, as numerous are inclined to condition.

The 5196, as being a re-interpretation and never a re-creation, also offers a couple of significant changes from the predecessor. Probably the most apparent the first is the 6-mm rise in the situation size, but you could also spot the overall better finishing in addition to more sleekness in the current watch: the crown is slimmer and tighter towards the situation, and there's a far more intricate utilization of both brushed and polished metal finishes than the original, that was mostly polished. Another changes range from the more textured dial, the greater minimalist subdial, and also the applied outer minute ring - all features not present around the first types of Reference 96.

Since roughly the first 1980s, vintage watches have ongoing to attract more, and much more passionate, interest from the wider selection of consumers. The Patek Philippe brand, and particularly the Calatrava series, continues to be in the center of point about this attention. Consequently, just about all Pateks are considered as highly collectible pieces, as well as relatively fundamental time-only watches, similar to this modern Calatrava Ref. 5196, command relatively high costs, with lots of believing they have the possibility to really rise in value with time.

Patek Philippe Calatrava Watch Review

Whether this proves true or otherwise over time for contemporary Patek Philippes 

I possibly could not say, however i would argue if your consumer has got the means and also the will to get a Patek Philippe watch, the 5196 is among the best possibilities. Very couple of other watches today can boast this type of strong history, timeless style, and minimalist but nonetheless fascinating design - in my experience, the 3 best characteristics of the watch that you're planning to cover beneath a tailored tuxedo jacket.