The Laings Journal
In 1932, brothers Jean and Charles Henri Stern took ownership of Patek, Philippe & Cie. As their first major act as owners, the Stern brothers introduced a collection which went on to become a cult icon in fine watchmaking, with a prevailing legacy spanning over 90 years.
Patek Philippe has always been at the forefront of innovation, pioneering esteemed technical advances such as the perpetual calendar, annual calendar and minute repeater. However, the understated Calatrava has gained a particular appreciation from watch lovers across the globe, now recognised as the very essence of the round wristwatch.
While more technically understated than some of its counterparts, the creation of the Calatrava was a delicate and intricate process, with its simplicity lending it to great scrutiny, compelling the legendary Swiss watch house to strive for perfection.
“Making a simple design distinctive can take a long time to achieve, sometimes even more challenging than a more complicated watch.”
– Theirry Stern, President of Patek Philippe.
The Calatrava’s renowned minimalist design is derived from the German “Bauhaus principle”, where form follows function, and this inspiration is prevalent in the pure lines and supreme elegance seen across the collection. Since its launch, the Calatrava has been repeatedly reinvented, including the legendary Ref. 3919, which was produced for more than 20 years and the more recent “Clous de Paris” – an innovative and contemporary addition. 90 years on from its debut, the Calatrava stays true to its archetype, maintaining the characteristic dauphine hands and applied faceted obus hour markers.
“It is a pleasure to observe the signature Calatrava collection evolve while staying true to its founding principles of elegance and simplicity – the Calatrava is truly a harmonious pairing of aesthetics and performance.”
– Martin Bond, Patek Philippe Brand Ambassador at Laings Cardiff.
The Calatrava is a true testament to one of Patek Philippe’s most prevalent principles, “A Tradition of Innovation”, with each reinvented version honing the skills of artisans gone by and charming each new generation of watch lovers by its timeless understated perfection. Just as important as the creation of its most complicated movements, Patek Philippe finishes the case and bracelet of each timepiece with the utmost precision. This intricate and complex procedure enlists the expertise of around 20 specialists performing around 50 operations. The exterior of each Patek Philippe timepiece must reflect the exceptional craft of the movement inside and with the elegant and refined nature of the Calatrava, there is no room for error.
Each Patek Philippe case is created with repeated careful pressing, gradually achieving the definitive shape of the case. The case component is then refined using state-of-the-art machinery, meanwhile the series number is engraved inside the caseback. In a process called “fine working”, artisans will hand-finish the timepiece, filing metal residue, soldering attachments and adjusting openings for a smooth and refined fit. The scrupulous Patek Philippe seal means that under no circumstances will a timepiece be complete with traces of manufacturing deviations.
Depicting the pure lines and minimalist elegance synonymous with the Calatrava collection, Ref. 5227G-010 is the very essence of the iconic series, flawlessly demonstrating the principles the collection was built upon. Presenting a gracefully simplistic design, this Calatrava timepiece features a black lacquered dial with gold applied hour markers, on a hand-stitched alligator strap.
“This model is quintessentially Calatrava, its elegant design and practical functions making it perfect for everyday wear. The configuration of white gold alongside the black lacquered dial gives it a refreshing and contemporary feel.”
– Xiaoxiao Wang, Patek Philippe Brand Ambassador at Laings Glasgow.
Introduced in 2021, Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Ref. 4997/200G-001 perfectly personifies the very best of the watchmaker’s artisanal skill. The guilloched lacquered dial is finely adorned with concentric waves, created using several successive layers of transparent midnight blue lacquer, creating the subtle yet breathtaking effect. Maintaining its quality across each element of its timepieces, Patek Philippe embellishes this watch with 76 round-cut internally flawless Top Wesselton diamonds.
Ref. 7200/200G-001
Ref. 7200/200R-001 demonstrates the rare craft honed by the artisans of Patek Philippe. The novel and unique diamond setting technique that has been evocatively designated “Flamme” is adopted here, resulting in unparalleled brilliance for a refined and feminine effect. This is achieved through the utmost precision, requiring exact uniformity and a keen eye to allow the gemsetter to cut grooves into the gold of the bezel between each diamond. Thanks to staggered apertures beneath the stones, the light can also shine through them from below, thus amplifying the inherent fire of the diamonds. Because the prongs are offset against each other, they create a texture on the bezel that is reminiscent of bobbin lace. When delving into the finer details of this timepiece, we see the true commitment to perfection – the crown is flanked with two tiny diamonds, ensuring that even the tiniest surface is adorned with diamonds.
“This piece infuses the Calatrava collection with radiance, demonstrating the beauty of gemsetting from Patek Philippe while maintaining the classic look of the Calatrava.”
– Miriam Ainslie, Watch Manager at Laings Southampton.
The renowned Calatrava with the guilloched hobnail bezel is truly unmatched, entirely embodying the essence of the typical Patek Philippe style. The newest editions, Ref. 6119, pay tribute to its predecessors, (Ref. 3919 from 1985 and its successor, Ref. 5119 from 2006) maintaining the slender elegance of its case for a sophisticated and timeless feel.
“This is a fresh and contemporary interpretation of the classically elegant Calatrava model. The Clous de Paris bezel beautifully frames the window of elegant timekeeping and the manual wound movement is impressive.”
– Stewart Simpson, Patek Philippe Brand Ambassador at Laings Southampton.
Laings is delighted to host Patek Philippe in its Glasgow, Southampton and Cardiff showrooms. Browse the collections online and speak to our expertly trained team to discover more.