Patek Philippe Calatrava: Worth It? Swiss Dress Watch Review - 雙語字幕
Welcome back to the Gentleman's Gazette.
In today's video,
we're going to look at the iconic Patek Philippe Calitrava and ask ourselves, is it worth it with a price tag around $20,000?
Patrick Felipe is considered one of the highest-end luxury watchmakers.
In fact, it's part of the so-called Holy Trinity with Bachelorette Constantin and Audemars Piguet and they've been making great watches since 1830.
And yes, like you heard in the beginning of the video, $20,000, these watches really are that expensive.
Now, the Calatrava is one of Patrick Felipe's most iconic models, and over the years that
it's been made, it's been worn by politicians, royalty, and hey, even a few gentlemen's gazette hosts.
So if you know anything about us here at the Gentleman's Gazette,
typical status symbols usually grab our attention, but that doesn't mean that they're always worth it.
Our microscope today is arguably the blueprint for a great dress watch, which is the Patek Philippe Calatrava.
First, in typical G.G.
style, we will look at the history of this iconic piece before we really dive into the question of, is it worth it?
And as always, if you're someone who doesn't like history, feel free to skip ahead in the chapters below.
Patrick Philippe was founded in 1839 and named after two of its founders, Antoine Patek and Jean-Philippe.
The Philippe Company really gained notoriety in their first 100 years with many incredible feats of timekeeping.
In 1844, Patek Philippe developed the first kilos winding and hand-setting system in the world.
And at England's great watchmaking, excellency.
In 1861, Queen Victoria was one of their many admirers.
And 1868, Hungarian Countess Coscoitz was the first person to receive a Swiss-made wristwatch from Patek Philippe.
Then, as time went on, more and more notable patents were filed.
The precision regulator in 1881, the perpetual calendar mechanism for pocket watches in 1889, and the first time.
double chronograph in 1902.
These guys really kept themselves busy.
1923 saw the introduction of the first split second chronograph wristwatch.
1925 was the year that Patek Philippe created the first wristwatch with a perpetual calendar.
But 1932 was a year that has deep significance within the Patek Philippe history.
This marks the arrival of the Stern family who purchased into the company and Patek Philippe has been owned by them ever since.
And in 1932, the Patek Philippe Calitrava was introduced, specifically the reference 96 Calitrava.
So with its beautiful simplicity,
precious metal, and over a of watchmaking behind it, it's no surprise that the Calitrava be within the Patek Philippe line of offerings.
The design of this particular model meant that it actually lasted and stayed consistent for over 40 years, from to 1973.
But that doesn't mean that Patek Philippe just stopped making new things.
As you'll see in coming years, there many different calitrama models that were released.
So, we picked a few notable designs for you.
Only six years after the original 96 was released, several other new models were released by Patek Philippe.
The reference 565 and reference 570 were introduced in 1913.
much like their predecessor, these models also enjoyed a lengthy time on the market.
Both of them lasted roughly 30 years in production.
While they might look very similar to the original 96, there were some changes, mainly the size of the case.
These new iterations came in at 35.5 millimeters, which is gigantic compared to the original 31 millimeters of the 96.
The 570 continued the look of a traditional elegant dress watch that was kitted out in precious materials.
Meanwhile, the 565 crafted from steel and featured a screw down case.
This it Patek Philippe's first water resistant Calatrava.
Now this watch still is dressy by modern standards, but at the time this was an incredibly sporty Patek Philippe.
So at this point the Calatrava has had wild success, so Patek Philippe continues and introduces the reference 2526 in 1953.
This is the first calotrava that has an automatic movement.
And if you don't know anything about watch movements, Preston explains more about them in this video here.
Now, this might not seem like that big of a deal because you can find automatic watches now for under $100.
But in the 1950s, this was extremely uncommon.
And on top of it, the caliber of 12-680.
The is not only considered by many to be one of the finest automatic watch movements ever produced,
but it also came with Patek Philippe's patented gyromax balance wheel.
And this is the same balance wheel that's been in all of Patek Philippe's automatic movements ever since.
So at this point, we're approaching the early 1970s, and we've seen all different types of Calatravas.
that were released, but the 1970s really nailed down the iconic design that the Kalatrava is remembered by today.
In 1973, Patek introduced the reference 3520 with the iconic Hobnail bezel design.
This is probably the most widely recognized design of the Kalatrava.
This really is the paired down version, really sticking to what I is essential for keeping time.
And because of this, it is an icon.
It's still in production today with the reference 51-16 and 51-19.
Another notable entry was made in 1989 at the 150-year anniversary of paddock Philippe, the reference 39-60.
And although other watches were released to commemorate this milestone, this watch was notable for being the first officer's watch in the Calatrava line.
This watch in particular showcased brigade numerals on an enamel dial and had a hinged hunter-style caseback that reveals a special anniversary in grieving,
and only 2,000 of these watches were ever made.
So as we move from the 20th to the 21st century, it's safe to say that the calitrava line is still incredibly strong.
And there are many other models to note, but I mean, let's be real.
We'll never get to the actual point of this video if we talk about all of them.
What remains true through all of this is Patek Flips' iconic history of making beautiful droughts.
Okay, okay, so at this point we said iconic enough, but what do we actually mean by it?
Essentially, what is it about the Calatrava that has made it endure all these years?
As we've previously mentioned, this watch could be called the ultimate dress watch.
The majority of the Calatrava collection possesses a very clean and simple design.
Sure, there are a few models that do wander away
from what is typically called a dress watch, but the core of this collection is planted firmly in dress watch territory.
But for those out there who want to add a little bit more spice, the Calatrava line has options for a pilot's watch.
Now, this might be a more sporty Calatrava, but look how much more elegant and refined it is than this Breitling.
So safe to say, this watch as a whole is planted firmly in dress watch territory.
And if you want to learn more about different types of watches, check out this video here.
The attention to simplicity and precious metals means that this watch fits well in casual clothing,
but don't wear it when you're changing the oil on your car.
With the exception of clothes to wear to mow your lawn or go to the gym or street.
wear, it is really hard to find a casual outfit that the Calitrala doesn't look good with.
It goes without saying that this watch looks great with the classic business suit,
but wear it with a jacket combination and it looks great as well.
The Calitrala looks great at a black tie dinner and also with a sweater and chinos.
And if you have a classically inspired warm weather ensemble, the Calitrala.
as well.
So the versatility of being able to wear this watch across an entire range of outfits make the design timeless.
The thing about timelessly designed watches is their ability to be passed Or, in other words, the iconography of the Calitrava really is heirloom status.
Being owned by a previous family member or maybe across generations also adds sentimental value to it.
And in fact, the heirloom possibilities add to Patek Flip's marketing as they often refer to this.
You never actually own a Patek Flip, you merely look after it for the next generation.
And another reason for the iconic status is that it's optimal.
To clarify our usage of a cover all term here, let's get two things straight.
One, there are one-to-one actual fakes of the Calatrava out there.
And secondly, there are many other watch brands who take similar design elements of the Calatrava and work it into their own watch.
Now, this isn't malicious or bad thing, it's just a testament to the Calatrava's design that is timeless.
After all, why reinvent the wheel if something works so well?
So when we use the term fakes, we are talking about that's trying to pass itself off as a paddock Philippe, but isn't one.
But it's important to recognize that there are other watches that at a glance have a similar design, but they aren't a paddock Philippe.
which means there will always be a desire to obtain and own the original and not something that looks similar or is a fake.
So as we've gone through the history and we've discerned why this watch is so iconic,
now let's get to the part that's painful for your wallet.
And that is the price.
With an MSRP of $24,000 approaching $41,000, these watches certainly are not cheap.
Let's look into the reasons as to why a calitrava is going to cost you a few pennies.
First of all, it's the level of exclusivity.
This only makes about 60,000 watches annually, and is across all their various lines.
60,000 watches might seem like a lot at face value,
but if you look at Omega who makes 500,000 and Rolex who reportedly makes close to a million, it really is a small fraction.
This means that Patek Philippe focuses on slow and consider production rather than mass production.
This leads to who demand being much higher than overall supply.
And this leads to particularly long waiting lists for desirable models.
Now, the average time to wait for a calitrava,
a basic one at retail is right around a year or less, so keep that in mind if you're shopping for a brand new one.
Patek Philippe also uses some of the highest quality and rarest materials, which also takes longer to make.
Patek Philippe has earned a reputation of not cutting corners,
which is clear to see in the application of gold, fine leather, and hand-painted enamel dials.
Naturally, the inherent cost of all these items will make its way into the final price.
In addition, there's a lot of training required in order to put a watch like this together.
In fact, training can take up to a decade in order to get a craftsman up to paddock for leap level of quality.
So this is a significant investment that the company makes.
This significant investment is also worth it because everything is made in-house and it leads to a unique and exclusive product.
This includes the beating heart of the watches themselves, their movements.
Very much like car manufacturers, watch brands assemble pieces for their movements and their watches from all over the world.
So if you buy a Ford car,
likely the engine and the doors all come from different places, but in the end it's a Ford car.
The difference with paddock fleet is that everything comes from in-house,
so if it's the crown or the glass or pieces of the movement, it's all made by paddock Philippe.
Sure, they can take a movement and swap it in from a different watchmaker, but being
able to control as much of the production process allows Patek Philippe to provide watches of a much higher level of quality.
When it comes to iconic pieces of clothing, watches, or shoes, often the idea of is it worth it is subjective.
And in the case of Patek Philippe, the super high price tags can mean that it's completely out of reach for some.
So it's important to that the Calitravas that are featured in today's video were all sent by our friends over at Delray
Watch who send us watches our videos.
I mean,
as much as we would like to actually purchase a brand new Calitrava for this video,
that means we'd have to go on Patek's waiting list and we'd have to wait and we wouldn't be able to make this as quickly for you.
But it also means we can't speak to Patek Philippe's level of customer service because we never dealt with it.
With this said,
we consider the Calatrava to be worth it if you value the heritage of the brand,
you value the in-house movement, and you want it to become an heirloom piece.
It is without question a timeless watch that you should be able to wear comfortably throughout the decades.
As long as you take care of it, a hundred years from now your grandchild can be wearing this watch.
We also consider the Calatrava worth it if you value versatility.
If this is your only dress watch over your entire life,
you'll end up with a very low cost per wear,
and if you're someone who typically dresses up or wears business casual outfits,
you'll find yourself With that said,
we're going to turn the tables and say that the Calatrava is not worth it if,
one, you simply like the look because no matter what the price point, you can find watches that look very similar that are nice and dressy that are not $30,000.
If your budget is $200, you can still find a lot of enjoyment in the Orient Bambino.
And if you're in the market for a stylish, budget-friendly owner.
check out our video about that here.
Also, we would say that the Calitrava is not worth it if you're looking for a watch that has multiple functions.
After all, it is a dress watch by trade and you'll spend a lot of money to not really get a whole lot of functions.
Most models within the collection only tell time.
There are some exceptions, but we're going to to the rule.
So as we wrap up today's video, I am curious.
What your take on the Patek Philippe Calitrava?
Would you buy one?
Do you own one?
Let us know down in the comments below.
In today's video, I'm wearing an outfit that is perfect for business casual at the office.
It features a sports jacket made of Marlin and Evans undied wool.
It has passion.
a three-rolls two with the buttons and it's made from the Polish brand pozesca.
I'm wearing a light blue Oxford cloth button down.
It was made to measure for me from proper cloth.
My jeans are selvage denim from Brave Star in California.
This is their strongman fit, which fits my body type very well.
My boots are my trusty Wolverine 1000 miles.
We talked about these in a previous video.
well worn and well loved.
It the first expensive pair of footwear that I bought on my men's wear journey.
My socks are a prototype from Fort Belvedere.
These are a heavy wool winter sock in gray and black.
My pocket square is navy blue with a yellowish cream paisley in wool and silk from Fort Belvedere.
If you're interested in the pocket square,
or you want to keep an eye out for the socks in the future, check out the Fort Belvedere shop down below.
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