Patek Philippe

In 1932, the world was introduced to a gentlemen’s dress watch that will go on to define all dress watches. With the introduction of the Reference 96, Patek Philippe & Cie. unveiled the first Calatrava that went on to set the benchmark for dress watches in the decades to come with its modern and understatedly luxurious design that addresses both form and function.

The timelessness of this design gave the Calatrava its lasting power. As of today, Calatrava, is the oldest collection still available in the Patek Philippe catalogue since the brand’s inception.

An iconic example of the Calatrava line up, Patek Philippe produced the Reference 1578 from 1943 to 1962 as the time-only counterpart to the renowned chronograph Reference 1579, both distinguished by their striking ‘spider’ lugs.

Like many mid-century Calatrava models, the Reference 1578 was available with either center or sub-seconds, offered in a variety of dial configurations. Examples with center seconds are divided into two series as follows:

1st Series – (1943 – 1950) equipped with caliber 12 SCi

2nd Series – (1949 – 1965) equipped with caliber 27SC

This particular 2nd series example features a heat-blued center sweep seconds hand and applied Arabic numerals at the quarters. Its pristine, minimally adorned dial exudes elegance, while the combination of leaf-shaped hands, sharp lugs, and a well-preserved case makes it a compelling choice for collectors seeking a refined mid-century dress watch from one of the world’s most prestigious watchmakers.