Patek Philippe Calatrava

The design is characterized by its classic and minimalist style featuring a round case, a simple, unadorned bezel and a clean uncluttered dial. The case-size of the Patek Philippe Calatrava usually measures around 34mm, depending on the year of production. The dial is adorned with simple hour markers and thin and elegant hands with a sweep seconds hand. The design is meant to be understated and elegant, reflecting Patek Philippe’s focus on quality craftmanship and timeless designs. 

Since the Patek Philippe Calatrava has a slim profile, it’s pretty comfortable to wear and easily slides under a dressed shirt. You can get your hands on numerous materials when it comes to the Calatrava, such as yellow gold, white gold, rose gold and even platinum, measuring different sizes and available with numerous complications.

The design of the Patek Philippe Calatrava was heavily influenced by the principles of the Bauhaus school of design, which emphasized simplicity, functionality and clean lines.

The watch features a round case with a hobnail-patterned bezel, a clean and uncluttered dial with thin and elegant hands and hour markers. You can wear the Patek Philippe Calatrava any day of the week, but it matches really good when you’re wearing a suit or something formal.

With a long stretching history, the Patek Philippe Calatrava was released back in 1932, featuring a solid gold case in 31mm. The dial was clean, simple and was white with Arabic numerals with thin baton-style hands. The name Calatrava comes from the Calatrava Cross, which is the emblem of the Order of Calatrava, a Spanish military order. You can even say that the Calatrava was a military watch, although it looks different.

In the 60s and 70s, Patek Philippe introduced a new line of Calatrava models, including reference number 3445 which featured a unique hobnail-patterned bezel. The 5116 reference was the first ever Calatrava to feature a regulator-style dial. Today, the Patek Philippe Calatrava remains one of the most iconic pieces in the Patek catalog, being a symbol of timeless elegance and high-quality Swiss watchmaking.

When you’re in the market for the perfect elegance on your wrist, prices vary a lot. Depending on the size, materials used on the watch and the dial, the cheapest Patek Philippe Calatrava watches sell for roughly €8.000, while you can also opt for some limited editions, which are highly sought-after models. 

These watches start at around €100.000. One of the most common Calatrava models bearing reference number 5196R sells for roughly €15.000 and up, depending on the state of the watch.