Patek Philippe

Calatrava Watches

Originally founded by Antoine Patek and Francios Czapek in 1839, Patek Philippe has been one of the most esteemed luxury watch brands for over a century. With its exceptional watchmaking expertise, the brand houses an impressive number of masterpieces that have always been desired by watch collectors from all across the world. The Patek Philippe Calatrava is indeed one of the most popular collections amongst the PP watch family. 

Holding up the brand’s legacy, the Patek Philippe Calatrava watches are highly admired among many watch lovers over the global ever since their release in 1932. It is known as the brand’s iconic dress watch that was designed for different audiences from the classic Patek Philippe watches. As a result, the Patek Calatrava watch brought significant success to the brand and remains one of the most popular Patek watch models.

Widely known for its utmost sophisticated and elegant timepieces, Patek Philippe is one of the most esteemed luxury watch brands, not only in the world of watchmaking but also in the whole business world on the planet. A Patek Philippe watch is already an instant sign of wealth, taste and status. These high-quality and prestigious watches are so sought after that many of its popular models are hard to find. 

In the world of horology, Patek Philippe is also highly respected for being at the forefront of watchmaking innovation. The brand is one of the pioneers of technical advancements and created several world’s firsts including the first perpetual calendar, the first annual calendar, etc.. Their watches have garnered abnormous fame for a good reason. 

Holding the brand’s long legacy of 180 incredible years, the Patek Philippe Calatrava watches are well crafted with distinctive design aesthetics and the best watchmaking technologies. These Calatrava Patek watches have been holding a prominent position in the minds of PP watch lovers worldwide. Here we are going to take a deeper look into the origins and features of this iconic Patek Philippe dress watch.

In the early 1930s, even widely used during World War I, wristwatches were still a relatively new item to the masses while rapidly gaining popularity. In the civilian market, the wristwatch was beginning to emerge from a tool for the battlefield, into a reliable instrument for daily use. At the same time, although the pocket watch had been long used for the railroads, it seemed to be too bulky and outdated to be incorporated for the uses of automobiles and aviation. People started to embrace the smaller and convenient wristwatches at an overwhelming speed. Seeing the rapid shift in the market, Patek Philippe reacted quickly and unveiled a simplified yet elegant wristwatch that seamlessly carries high precision with prestige. 

The Patek Philippe Calatrava

To cater the market’s needs for quality and precise wristwatches, the very first Patek Philippe Calatrava watch was introduced in 1932. As the producer of this Patek Calatrava watch, David Penney incorporated his favorite Bauhaus style as the core concept in the watch designs. 

Maintaining the brand’s exceptional quality and excellence in design and craftsmanship, Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 96 has successfully broadened Patek Philippe’s market among the high-end collectors.

The name Patek Philippe Calatrava was taken from the inspiration of the Calatrava cross, the Spanish Catholic order of knights which was founded in 1158. Actually to honor the noblesse inherited from its name of the centuries-old symbol, Patek Philippe registered and adopted this Calatrava cross as its legally protected trademark in 1887. Since then, all the products from the brand are adorned with this Patek Philippe logo. You can find the Calatrava cross symbol on the crown, the case back as well as the clasp of the Patek Philippe watch. In fact, carrying the name of the brand’s trademark, the Patek Philippe Calatrava watch is definitely one of the most significant models for the brand. 

The first Patek Philippe Calatrava was crafted in a 31 mm glamorous gold case with integrated lugs on the three-part case. The presence of tapered lugs could assure the wearer’s comfort while wearing it on the wrist. It featured a clean ivory dial with matching gold markers. There was also a seconds-counting sub-dial placed at 6:00 o'clock position. 

Since Patek Philippe had not yet begun its manufacturing of their own in-house movements, the first Calatrava watch was powered by a Jaeger LeCoultre mechanical caliber movement. But then in 1934, after Patek Philippe successfully developed its own in-house movement, the Caliber 12"'120, the Patek Philippe Calatrava watches were all powered by Patek Philippe in-house mechanical movements.

Notable Models of Patek Philippe Calatrava Collection 

The first Patek Philippe Calatrava watch Reference 96 had remained in production for more than 40 years. There are a number of later iterations with various modifications developed from this very first model, including the 35.5mm enlarged version released in 1938, the Reference 570. Let’s explore some of the notable variations of this iconic PP watch. 

The first automatic Patek Philippe Calatrava watch was released in 1953 in reference 2526. This watch was encapsulated in a larger 36 mm case with a round bezel. With a limited production of less than 600 pieces, these Patek Philippe watch prototypes are very rare and still in high demand by collectors even in today’s market.

Within the current Patek Philippe Calatrava lineup, the two models Reference 5196 and the Reference 5296 were crafted under the most inspiration from the original Calatrava Ref. 96. The Patek Philippe Calatrava 5196 was presented in a larger 37mm case, which is more modern and suitable for today’s needs. With its pure lines, this watch is considered as the perfect symbol of the brand’s elegant simplicity. Showcasing supreme elegance and timeless look, this PP Calatrava watch has garnered the hearts of the new generation of watch lovers.

Today, Patek Philippe houses a number of incredible pieces in the Calatrava lineup. It remains one of the most desired collections among all luxury watches in the market. The Patek Philippe Calatrava offers a lower price range compared to its peers, yet the Patek Philippe Calatrava price may vary from less as around 100 thousand HK dollars to much higher to more than 1 Million HK dollars.