An example of a Ref. 96 from 1936 measuring 30.5mm.
Ref. 6119 leaves imperfec- tion nowhere to hide. The hand-applied hour markers, the petite seconds display and the minute track great- ly enhance the elegance of this time-only wristwatch. The Calatrava achieves so much with so little. The facets on the hand-applied hour markers and dial hands add dimension, while the Clous de Paris bezel ele- vates this formal timepiece to elegant heights.
Walter Gropius and the Pan Am Building in New York City (now the Met Life Building)
I’d like to share with you how a German design school, called the Bauhaus, and Patek Philippe came together to manifest the Calatrava, the greatest horological classic ever made. It certain- ly helped me appreciate what makes these watches so timeless. I’ll begin with the definition of the Calatrava that I recorded in my early days of training: An emblematic and quintessentially classic Patek Philippe collection since 1932. The lines of this timeless watch, with a round case for men and ladies, are directly inspired by the Bauhaus artistic movement. Featuring a bezel that may be flat, round, gem-set or adorned with a hobnail pattern, the watch itself may be ultra-thin or fitted with a cover protecting the sapphire case back. WHAT IS BAUHAUS? Founded in 1919 by Walter Gropius in Germany and active until 1933, the Bauhaus, which literally means construction house, was a school of architecture and applied arts, renowned for initiating the artistic principles of Form follows function and Less is more. This new radical form of architecture and design was created to rebuild cities decimated by World War I — but it would go on to become one of the most influential architecture styles of the 20th century. In the 1980s, for Patek Philippe president Philippe Stern, it would be the guiding star in creating an iconic time-only wristwatch during a critical mo- ment for mechanical watchmaking. THE ‘CALATRAVA’ OFFICIALLY FORMED In the 1980s, Mr Stern organized all Patek Philippe time-only models embodying the Bauhaus philosophy under the new- ly formed ‘Calatrava’ family, including the earliest time-only wristwatches dating back to 1932. It was during this period when these sober time-only wrist- watches began to transform into magnificent representations of elegance. The Calatrava collection launched this style into a modern age, now offering sparkle through a signature hob - nail patterning and exemplary diamond settings. A dedicated ladies’ line would emerge with shimmering detail and even a moon phase complication. From this moment, the Calatrava
family would stand for timeless elegance. As we unwind this story you will see how Let us unwind this story further. I recall, as a design student at university, how studying the Bauhaus sparked my romance with modernism, one of sever- al design forms that I love. The Bauhaus believed in the lack of ornament, the use of clean lines and smooth facades (think concrete, glass, steel) and focusing on simple geometric forms such as the triangle, square and circle — all to serve up a high level of cool in all its forms. This also extended to typography, which was viewed both as a practical means of communication and as an artistic expression, with visual clarity stressed above all. This focus on simplicity and purity in every discipline not only achieved worldwide embrace but also has made Bauhaus designs impervious to evolving fashion trends. Bauhaus de- sign is ageless. SO HOW DO BAUHAUS PRINCIPLES EXIST WITHIN THE CALATRAVA WATCH? The Calatrava first came to be in 1932 and established itself as the epitome of the classic round wristwatch — its purity quietly pledging itself to the minimalistic Bauhaus teaching that function determines the form of an object. This was inten - tionally done by Philippe Stern. The hands of a watch move in circles; therefore, Calatravas will always be round. (How logi- cal!) A Calatrava’s singular purpose is to measure time — with two or three hands, sometimes with a minute track or hour markers, and always with the PATEK PHILIPPE GENEVE sig - nature, promising precision and dependability. Simply put, a Calatrava achieves so much with so little — and that’s the es - sence of this genre. Remember: Less is more! AN ICONIC CASE BEGINS ITS JOURNEY It goes back to the first Patek Philippe model to receive a ref - erence number: the famous 96. First manufactured in steel in 1932, it still reigns as the manufacturer’s most legendary de- sign, with case proportions remaining as modern today as they did then. Utterly timeless! As dictated by Bauhaus principles, the Ref. 96 was smooth, sleek and stripped of all ornamental decor. It featured a round
case, which reflects the circular form of the movement inside, along with a subtle, elegant bezel. The hours were marked by batons or numerals, with a small sub-dial at six o’clock to indi- cate the seconds. The lugs were integrated into the case instead of being soldered on, which allowed for a more comfortable fit on the wrist — another classic example of form following function. Topping it all off was the minimalistic dial design that focused on communicating only the time as cleanly as possible. All of these elements came together and established the benchmark for what a wristwatch should look like — and it would remain the prevailing form throughout the 20th century and beyond. That’s powerful. Insider FYI: The Ref. 96 was not the first round wristwatch ever produced, and it wasn’t even the first round wristwatch made by Patek Philippe — but it became the blueprint on which they invented the dress watch. This form would be replicated over and over by Patek Philippe and others, looking to copy its timeless style. At the end of 1934, a new consumer pattern formed: Wrist - watches made in Switzerland outnumbered pocket watches by two to one. Patek Philippe seized on this trend with a complete line of both men’s and ladies’ designs. Within this proud lineage, some Calatrava models domi- nated the attention in the classics space, with several variants with bezels adorned in the hobnail pattern, properly known as Clous de Paris. One of the most emblematic models born from the Bauhaus concept would make its debut in 1985: the Cala- trava Ref. 3919. This watch was widely respected and loved by Patek Philippe connoisseurs, and remained in production for more than 20 years, eventually falling out of favor as the 33.5-millimeter case size eventually became too small for con- temporary tastes. So precise were the proportions and overall design that, in 2006, the Ref. 5119 was introduced — a nearly identical image of Ref. 3919 but in a larger case diameter of 36 millimeters and with elongated Roman-numeral hour mark - ers. More recently, Ref. 6119 (the reference number paying trib - ute to the storied 3919 legend and the Ref. 5119 from 2006) distinguishes itself primarily with the slightly larger diam- eter of 39 millimeters while retaining an elegant form and a
manual-wind caliber. Thierry Stern, who can speak at length about the Calatrava and his passion for the purest expression of Patek Philippe creativity, describes the Ref. 6119 as one of the most important launches of 2021. He has been quoted as saying, “When I look at the 3919, I see my grandfather. When I look at the new 6119, I am looking at my sons.” Today, the bloodline lives on in 11 different models, of - fering quite a variety. Because Thierry Stern isn’t afraid to be bold, he continues to shepherd fresh designs while applying select Bauhaus tenets. Just this year, we saw the vintage-in- spired Ref. 5226G join the family, delivering a more casual, utilitarian flavor, with its warm color tones for the dial and the crisp Clous de Paris hobnail pattern adorning its flanks rather than its bezel. More than a century after its founding, the Bauhaus remains arguably the most important design school in the history of the world, influencing architects whose skyscrapers carve skylines across the globe and even inspiring Steve Jobs’ vision for the look and shape of every Apple product. “We’re really shooting for Museum of Modern Art quality,” Jobs once said of his team at Apple. And, sure enough, 10 Apple products now reside in MoMA’s permanent design collection, including the first-gen - eration iPod and the iMac. All of their sleek lines, light col- ors, beveled edges, and geometric forms – an overall look they owe, in part, to the long-lasting influence of the Bauhaus. For Patek Philippe, the early 20th century was a statement of the manufacturer’s super-complicated watchmaking prowess. And later, the Sterns would use the middle of the 20th cen- tury to establish the classic dress watch — achieved through simplicity, purity and beautiful proportions. Throughout that time, until today, the Calatrava has done nothing more than display our most precious asset: time.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael A. Fratangelo spent nearly 10 years at Patek Philippe in its training department, educating and interacting with cli- ents, collectors and sales associates.
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