Words: Charlie Thomas
Patek Philippe are known for their uber-classic dress watches, so it came as somewhat of a surprise when they released this at BaselWorld 2015. The Calatrava Pilot Travel Time is an aviation-inspired piece that harks back to the brand’s military-issued watches of the 1930s, and it’s a big departure from anything in their current collection. It has so far divided opinion, but we can’t get enough.
There are generally two schools of thought with Patek’s new baby – it’s most certainly a Marmite watch. On the one side, people think that for Patek to create something so different to what they are known for is a mistake. The other camp, however, commends the Swiss brand for stepping so far out of their comfort zone and producing such a legible, functional piece whilst retaining the luxurious elements synonymous with their name.
Regardless of whether you like the watch, to see Patek – arguably the world’s most renowned watch brand – go against the grain is a refreshing notion. People clearly have expectations of what they want to see from them, and the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time doesn’t fit the mould they’ve created for themselves over the years. It would be like Rolls Royce creating a low-slung sports car; a bit weird at first, but it could turn out to be a classic. This watch has that potential.
One thing that this Patek has in common with its siblings is its vintage looks. It’s a classic pilot watch, with its over-sized luminescent numbers, outer minute track and grainy deep blue dial. The skeleton hand represents ‘local’ time and the solid hour hand is the ‘home’ time. Instead of using a window, the date is shown in its own sub-dial at 6 o’clock – it’s a lovely throwback addition that adds to the charm of the face.
Although unusual for a pilot watch, the case is made of 18-carat white gold. This, of course, is nothing new for Patek, but it might have made more sense for the watch to be made of stainless steel, given that aviation pieces are tool watches at heart. The precious metal construction bumps the price up to a very Patek $47,600, but for this you’ll be getting a calibre CH 324 S C FUS movement – one of the finest in modern watchmaking – in what is an exceptionally executed design.
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