License to Dive
Submariner
Rolex
Introduced in 1932, the Patek Philippe Calatrava quickly established itself as the archetypal simple, time-only wristwatch. Without complication, the Calatrava embodies Bauhaus modernism: clean lines and perfect proportions. What began as a single Patek Philippe model has, over time, become a category unto itself, with the Calatrava name wrongly attached to countless other brands’ dress watches.
The Reference 96, the original model, set the template, but the family evolved with endless nuance: hobnail bezels, cloisonné enamel dials, officer’s casebacks. Through subtle refinement and expansion, the Calatrava has changed, but never by adding unnecessary flash. It’s the quietest of power flexes, chosen for its understatement and history. The Calatrava isn’t just a model; it’s the brand’s foundation, its importance underscored by the Calatrava cross logo.
Nearly a century later, the Calatrava stands as watchmaking’s most confident statement—proof that elegance lies not in what a watch can do, but in what it doesn’t need to.