Patek Philippe Calatrava

Overall Condition: Good condition overall. Case shows light wear associated with age and use. Dial and handset are in great condition with no visual blemishes noted.

The Holy Trinity of watch brands: Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe, and Vacheron Constantin.

Perhaps the most celebrated of the three, Patek Philippe has an unrivaled reputation for crafting some of the most complicated — and some of the simplest yet most beautiful — timekeepers the market has seen.

Sports watches came later to Patek, as pressure from the new 'luxury sports watch' category introduced in the early 1970s forced the storied brand to evolve — but historically, classically-styled dress pieces is where Patek cut its teeth.

This particular watch, a Reference 2481 Calatrava dating to the 1950s, remains in great condition throughout. Featuring a modern for its time 37mm 18K yellow gold ultra-thin case, a soft rounded bezel, a signed crown, an acrylic crystal, a silver dial, and a matching 'dauphine' handset, this beauty comes with a manually wound movement ticking within. This piece flaunts faceted indexes and central seconds, looking far before its time, easily at home alongside modern Calatravas.

Beautifully sized, in excellent condition, and paired to an alligator leather strap with a pin buckle, this gorgeous Calatrava presents an exciting opportunity to break into the world of Patek Philippe.

The Calatrava is one of the legends of the watch market. If you like more contemporary sizing but have a soft spot for vintage like we do, this watch will undoubtedly fit the bill. If a bona fide dress watch classic is what you're after, look no further!