Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 570

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

The Patek Philippe Calatrava. Arguably the brands most iconic model line, and purest expression of the brand. Their raison d'etre if you will. The line has been a hit since its debut in 1932. So much so, that the name "Calatrava" itself has become something of a byword within the watch industry for traditionally styled, no-frills dress watches that simply tell the time. Over the course of its nearly 100-years of production, there have been seemingly countless iterations within the line, with variations in the metal they are made in, with their size, dial configurations, and eventually, complications. The Calatrava that we have here is a Reference 570 dating to circa the 1960s. This exampled is executed in solid yellow gold and houses a silver dial inside. The case itself is fantastic, with thick and symmetrical lugs at all four corners and shows only light signs of wear. The silver dial, in some ways, is Patek Philippe at its finest. It features a lovely 'brushed' finishing with script rendered in black on the top, applied faceted 'pencil' indices, and thats it. Elevated simplicity at its best. The hour and minute hands are of the 'dauphine'-style with a central seconds hand. This piece is powered by Patek's proven and long-running manually-wound Calibre 27SC movement, which is operated by a signed yellow gold crown at the 3 o'clock position. Last but not least, this piece is accompanied by an extract from Patek's archives confirming its production in 1961 and original date of sale on June, 2nd, 1961. The 570 may just be the perfect vintage Calatrava. The 35mm case proportions with a 20mm lug spacing allows for a virtually perfect wearing experience, and for virtually any wrist. There are no frills, beautiful proportions, and no excessive misuse of space. In face, its almost boring and looks like what anyone might sketch when asked to draw 'a watch. That just happens to be exactly what we love about vintage Patek Philippe. There are watches, and then there are watches! This is one of the latter.