Patek Philippe. An Early and Very Rare Stainless Steel Wristwatch with Sector Dial

Footnotes

百達翡麗，「Calatrava」96型號，早期製作及非常罕有精鋼自動上弦腕錶，年份約1936。附候補資料庫精萃。

Patek Philippe Calatrava is a line of dress watches, known for its minimalist and elegant design. The first version of the Calatrava was launched in 1932, inspired by the Bauhaus principle. Bauhaus was a German art school (1919-1933) that combined crafts and fine arts. Their designs were commonly associated with simplicity, functionality and industrial. Amidst the Great depression, Patek Philippe had an accumulation of stocks, decreased sales and had outstanding debts owed. It was the introduction of the Caltrava which had opened up a new segment of targeted audience.

The Patek Philippe Calatrava Reference 96 was in production from 1932-1973, only around 95 timepieces were manufactured with a stainless steel case, and only a third of them had a sector dial.

The present lot is an excellent example of this model. The scarcity due to the limited production in stainless steel with the sector dial. It is well preserved with crisp hallmarks on the inner case back. It comes with Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives to confirm the timepiece was manufacture in 1936 and with enamel hour markers. It is an opportunity for any discerning watch collector to acquire such rare and influential timepiece.