Patek Philippe has long been known for its complicated watchmaking, but following the stock market crash of 1929, fewer clients 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 the 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!