1953 Patek Philippe Calatrava (Ref. 1578R) 18K RG W/ Extract From The Archives

'You never actually own a Patek Philippe. You merely look after it for the next generation.’ — Patek Philippe started this now ubiquitous marketing campaign in 1966 and never looked back, though they already had an outstanding legacy since the watchmaker was founded in the year 1839. Patek built its reputation on several foundational pillars: tradition, innovation, and excellence, all of which are paramount in every timepiece they make, both old and new. 

If it weren't for the Nautilus or Grand Complications series, Patek Philippe would undoubtedly be best known for the Calatrava. The Patek Philippe Calatrava is the truest representation of the classic dress watch, and was first introduced to the world in 1932 with the model reference 92. The sleek round cases of the Calatrava often feature extremely simple, yet perfectly executed designs with elegant dials that lack all unnecessary obstructions. A true "must-have" for any Patek collector or dress watch aficionado.

While there are nearly countless options and iterations of Patek's classic dress watch line, we love the Calatrava ref. 1578 in 18K rose gold for its timeless design and universal size. The large-for-its-measurements 35mm case boasts long lugs that appear to be very thin and angular from the top view of the watch, only to reveal a rather deep and round design from the side view of the watch. Not only is this lug design a trick of the eyes but also introduced both a geometrical element and increases the overall visual size of the watch while on wrist, which makes the ref. 1578 perfect for most wrist sizes. The Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 1578 employs the well-respected in-house caliber 27 SC, which is a manual winding movement with a center seconds hand.