Drawing inspiration from the Bauhaus school of architecture whose founder, Walter Gropius, advocated the philosophy of “form follows function”, the original Calatrava’s case was round to reflect its movement’s circular shape. Its dial and hour-minute markers were kept simple to ensure maximum legibility for the wearer. This guiding principle of simplicity has been maintained in the models’ designs in the decades that followed.
Journey through more than 80 years of the Calatrava, one of the most emblematic Patek Philippe collections.
Engraved on the crowns of most Patek Philippe watch models is a distinctive Calatrava cross emblem, whose origins can be traced back to Calatrava la Vieja in 12th-century Castile. It is this insignia that has become the hallmark of Patek Philippe, with its very first flagship timepiece — the Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref 96 — launched in 1932 to mark the beginning of the brand’s signature line of dress watches named after its manufacturer’s emblem.
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