First presented in 1932 with the Reference 96, the Patek Philippe Calatrava is the benchmark for classic men’s dress watches. The groundbreaking reference set the stage for nearly every piece Patek has released since, and became the blueprint for other brands’ approaches to classy men’s timepieces. Heavily influenced by the Bauhaus design philosophy, the Calatrava was then considered extremely modern with its minimalist, ‘less is more’ approach to watch design.
The Calatrava 96 was also one of the first pieces the brand released after the Stern family purchased a majority share in Patek Philippe in the early 30s. In many respects, the 96 is emblematic of the Stern family’s contributions to Patek. The 96 was one of the earliest round watches Patek ever made, and was also the very first serially produced piece to receive its own reference.
In the years since 1932, Patek has released dozens of Calatrava references, each with its own idiosyncrasies. Almost all share the underlying DNA of the 96, prioritizing subtle elegance above all else.
In 1985, Patek Philippe was looking to distinguish itself in a post quartz crisis era of the luxury watch market. Patek enlisted help from a brilliant Geneva-based ad man— Renee Bittel— to help Patek define itself for a new customer base. Bittel said Patek Philippe needed a symbol for the brand— something that would capture the classic Patek aesthetic and come to represent the brand. Then Patek President Philippe Stern asked Bittel what this would look like, and legend has it Bittel drew what would later become the 3919, another Bauhaus design, this time incorporating a hobnail bezel.
The hobnail bezel first emerged in 1934 on the Reference 96D and Bittel recognized that its distinctive look was eye-catching, and classically Patek. Coupling the hobnail with a cream dial and black printed numerals, the 3919 quickly became the image of Patek Philippe. Today, the 3919 represents one of the best values in neo-vintage Patek Philippe.
This particular 3919 is the classic iteration, fashioned from yellow gold. With a white dial and set to a classic leather strap, this is the definition of classy watchmaking, and is a timeless representation of Patek Philippe’s design.