 | |
| Type | Automatic, Manual |
|---|---|
| Display | Analogue |
| Introduced | 1932 |
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 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.
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 (such as the 5026, 6119). [14] [15]
A Calatrava 2526 model retailed by Tiffany & Co. in 1954 was sold for US$642,500 at an auction in 2018. [16]
As of 2025, the highest auction price reached by a Calatrava is CHF3,297,000 (or around US$3,618,645) for a ref. 570 from 1942. This watch, called "Calatravone" by Italian collectors due to its case size, features a stainless steel case, a two-tone silver dial and black enameled Breguet numerals. [17]