A solid eighteen carat yellow gold, manually wound, Patek Philippe Calatrava.  Perhaps one of the most iconic of all dress, time only wrist watches ever made is the Patek Philippe Calatrava.  This model has been a mainstay in the Patek collection for nearly a century.  With the backdrop of the Great  Depression, in 1932, change was afoot when Genevan brothers Jean and Charles Henri Stern invested in Patek, Philippe & Cie (as the company was formerly known). In that very same year, as the dust began to settle, the Calatrava: Ref. 96 launched. It was a timepiece so revered that its legacy is still part of the Patek Philippe collection today.

The inaugural Calatrava was produced for over forty years. A legacy that is rarely found in watch collections from major producers, and highlighted its importance to the company.  It was to lay the foundation for many important renditions that followed. There is room in a book to detail these in the attention they deserve, but we will stick with this, the Calatrava Ref. 3919 here.

The legendary Ref. 3919 first came to market in 1985 and debuted in three shades of gold: this the yellow gold, rose gold, and white gold. It was the iconic “Clous de Paris” bezel.  It was not new to Patek Philippe in 1985, but most certainly associated with the Ref. 3919 thereafter, which truly made this timepiece special and cemented the essence of Patek Philippe style. The intricate guilloche work brings depth to the bezel’s otherwise plain surface to create something very simple, but utterly timeless.

The Ref. 3919 is powered by a manual-wound Calibre 215 PS, with a subsidiary seconds sub-dial at 6 o'clock, white dial with black lacquered Roman numerals and straight lugs.  It operates at around 28,800 beats per hour, with the Calibre 215 PS supplying around 44 hours of power reserve.  The case remains very strong, most likely unpolished with all the hallmarks on the lugs crips and untouched.

Overall the watch is in superb condition throughout.  The original band has been changed for this calf leather band, and can be changed for any leather colour, if desired.  The original Patek eighteen carat gold buckle is present and fitted to this band. 

If you are looking for a classy, simple and elegant time only watch, this reference is hard to top. The model was produced for over twenty years, and became a "must-have" timepiece from the brand within the '80s and '90s.  Now discontinued, it remains high on the wish list of all watch collectors’ across the globe.  In fact, the 3919 was a staple of Thierry Stern’s, the Patek Philippe President, watch collection, and he speaks of the timepiece as “iconic watch” of his generation.  Not a bad recommendation to have for any watch....!