More than ever before, the Calatrava with the hobnail-patterned bezel exemplifies the Patek Philippe spirit

Second to none

The first version of the Calatrava was launched in 1932, inspired by the Bauhaus principle. Recognized as the quintessential watch design today, it personifies a distilled elegance, equilibrium and functionality. Its round case has been reinterpreted in numerous versions without ever sacrificing its legendary purity. No other model is more popular than the Ref. 3919 Calatrava with the guilloche "Clous de Paris" bezel introduced in 1985. This inimitable classic is in the annals of watchmaking and remains one of the best known Patek Philippe watches ever crafted. For nearly 10 years, it communicated the spirit of the manufacture in an advertising campaign that is fondly remembered by lovers of beautiful timepieces.

True to style

The new Ref. 5119 Calatrava, with a slightly enlarged case diameter (36 mm instead of 33.5 mm), was inspired by the 1985 "Clous de Paris" model, a quintessential timepiece in the Patek Philippe collections. The contemporary scale elevates the personality of the watch and emphasizes the signature ultra-thin silhouette that was so characteristic of the original. The case is crafted in 18K yellow, rose and white gold and features particularly refined details such as a satin-finished side, mirror-polished lugs, and slightly domed crystal. The bezel is decorated with the famous "Clous de Paris" hobnail pattern, using a traditional diamond guilloche technique that is highly esteemed by the manufacture's talented artisans. The design of the dial remains true to the original whose austerity has survived all fashion trends. The designers merely slightly elongated and thinned the black Roman numerals on the bright white background to make the dial even more luminous.

Hours and minutes are indicated by delicate leaf-shaped hands and the small seconds hand discreetly appears in a black transfer-printed subsidiary dial at 6 o'clock. The sublime elegance of the watch is complemented by a glossy black alligator strap with a prong buckle in 18K yellow, rose or white gold.

The pinnacle of technology

The heart of the new Ref. 5119 is the manually wound caliber 215 PS movement, one of the thinnest in Patek Philippe's collections. It is a masterpiece of horological ingenuity, crafted with infinite patience and marked, as all of the manufacture's mechanical movements, with the prestigious Geneva Seal. Its meticulous finishing can be admired through the sapphire-crystal back secured to the case with six screws, a rare feature in Patek Philippe watches. In fact, the case design was fundamentally changed. The Ref. 3919 had a two-part case with a snap bezel in which the movement with a split-winding stem was inserted from the top. The new model has a three-part case with a screw-on back, eliminating the need for a split stem.