Patek Philippe Calatrava

Calatrava is the classic line from the Geneva manufacture Patek Philippe: round watches in a formal dress style. The collection began in 1932 with reference 96. Its design follows the Bauhaus principle – form follows function, with nothing superfluous on the dial.

The Calatrava collection consists primarily of models with central or small seconds. The bezel is either smooth and polished or decorated with a Clous de Paris guilloché pattern, and the 5227 has a hinged officer's caseback. Alongside these are the Calatrava Travel Time with a second time zone, the pilot's Calatrava Pilot and Calatrava Pilot Travel Time, the Calatrava Ladies and the contemporary 6007 with an embossed dial centre. The Calatrava Weekly Calendar carries the name of the neighbouring Patek Philippe Complications line.

The key choices are size, metal and winding type. Cases range from 29 to 42 mm and are made of 18-carat white, rose and yellow gold, platinum and steel. Movements are hand-wound or automatic, with a central rotor or a micro-rotor; the Calatrava Ladies has a quartz movement. There are men's, ladies' and unisex models.