
Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Patek Philippe Calatrava 3919J Porcelain Dial 18k Yellow Gold Clous de Paris
- Maker / attribution
- Patek Philippe (maker)
- Date
- mid 1990
- Historical period
- Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
- Country of origin
- France
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Materials / technique
- 18k yellow gold
- Dimensions
- Case 33 mm
- Stock no.
- W-3818
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Bulang & Sons (W-3818)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Patek Philippe Calatrava 3919J Porcelain Dial 18k Yellow Gold Clous de Paris (English)
View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction
Record summary
Catalogued by Bulang & Sons (dealer), Copenhagen (stock number W-3818), this is a wristwatch by Patek Philippe, made in France, dated mid 1990. The Atlas places it in the Mechanical Renaissance period (1990 – 2010) of its Wristwatches collection. Materials and techniques recorded by the source: 18k yellow gold. Recorded dimensions: Case 33 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Bulang & Sons
The Patek Philippe Calatrava is widely regarded as one of the purest expressions of the classic dress watch and has become a cornerstone of 20th-century watch design. Introduced in 1932 by Patek Philippe, the Calatrava emerged during a pivotal moment in the company’s history, shortly after the Stern family acquired the manufacture amid the economic uncertainty of the Great Depression. One of its defining characteristics is the intricate Clous de Paris guilloché bezel. Although this decorative motif first appeared on the Calatrava reference 96D in 1934, it became permanently associated with the 3919 and remains one of the most recognizable signatures of modern Calatrava design. This refined example features a crisp white porcelain dial with elegant Roman numerals, beautifully contrasted by blackened oxidized gold feuille hands and a subsidiary seconds register positioned at 6 o’clock. The proportions remain wonderfully restrained and quintessentially Patek Philippe. We have paired the watch with one of our Bulang and Sons leather straps, while the original 18k gold Patek Philippe pin buckle remains fitted. Powering the watch is the ultra-thin manually wound Calibre 215 PS (Petite Seconde), one of Patek Philippe’s most celebrated dress watch movements. The watch has been fully serviced by our watchmaker and is ready to be enjoyed for many years to come. A timeless Calatrava that perfectly captures the elegance of Patek Philippe, let’s get you this! Specifications: Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 3919J 33mm 18k yellow gold case with “Clous de Paris” bezel, snap back case-back Porcelain dial with black Roman numerals and non-lumed hands Bulang and sons leather strap, 18k yellow gold Patek pin-buckle Calibre 215 PS hand wound movement Movement number 183xxxx case number 293xxxx dating to the mid 1990’s Fully serviced by our watchmaker
Historical context
Mechanical Renaissance (1990 – 2010)
Mechanical watches return as cultural objects; independent watchmaking flourishes.
Mechanical watches returned as cultural and luxury objects. Complications, tourbillons and new materials proliferated; independent watchmakers such as George Daniels, F.P. Journe and Philippe Dufour revived artisanal watchmaking; collecting vintage watches became a major field.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Quartz Revolution
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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