Patek Philippe Calatrava

Patek Philippe has long been known for its complicated watchmaking, but following the stock market crash of 1929, fewer cli ents had the means to purchase these high-end timepieces. After securing a controlling interest in the firm, Jean and Charles Henri Stern decided to to create a simple watch that would come in at a lower price point and appeal to the firm’s clientele.

Using the principles espoused by the Bauhaus school and its minimalist, function-first philosophy, the company conceived th e simple Reference 96. It was only in the 1980s that this series of simple dress watches would receive a dedicated collection designation, Calatrava, which takes its name from the Spanish military order established in the 12th century that serves as the symbol of Patek Philippe. These days, 'Calatrava' is a byword for a simple dress watch — even from brands other than Patek Philippe.

This piece, a Reference 7200R-001, takes the idea of this simple men's dress watch and adopts it into an elegant ladies' design. Housed in a sumptuous 35mm 18K rose gold case with a signed crown and 'officer'-style lugs, it features a silver- grained dial with applied gold 'Breguet' numerals, a matching gold 'dot' outer minute track, and a matching gold 'spade' handset.

Powered by the Patek Philippe Calibre 240 ultra-thin automatic movement — whose attractive finishing and solid-gold winding rotor are visible via a sapphire caseback — this beautiful piece comes paired to a signed, tan-colored alligator strap with square scales, tone-on-tone stitching , and a gold prong buckle.

Simply put, this excellent Calatrava is everything you need — and nothing you don’t!