Patek Philippe’s iconic Calatrava watch gets fresh flair

Famous for its quintessential dress watches, Patek Philippe’s Calatrava collection received an exciting refresh this year, in the form of the new white-gold 40 mm Ref. 5226G, which has been imbued with a younger, more contemporary vibe.

We are, after all, living in the age of the casual sport watch, so it only makes sense to energize a timeless design with a dose of sporty allure (within limits, of course).

Embodying the essence of classicism and purity, Calatrava has been a pillar collection at Patek Philippe since 1932, when Deco minimalism and Bauhaus rules of form-follows-function revolutionized the design world.

In 1934, the Calatrava was embellished with a Clous de Paris hobnail pattern around the caseband, a distinguishing signature.

The Calatrava line has continued to elegantly progress over the ensuing decades, and has noticeably been injected with a bolder spirit in recent years.

Designers followed up on last year’s Calatrava Clous de Paris (with a wider, sharper rendition of the hobnail bezel motif) by flipping the script — literally, on its side.

On the Ref. 5226G and its more complicated sister model, the Ref. 5326G Calatrava Annual Calendar Travel Time, the guilloche-engraved flourish encircles the sides of the case in a discreet nod to its more formal predecessors. Meanwhile, the bezel stays clean and ornament free for a more rugged, unfussy aesthetic.

Fully visible through a sapphire crystal caseback, the self-winding Caliber 26-330 S C — which powers the hours, minutes, central seconds, date and stop-seconds mechanism — exhibits all the uncompromising hand finishing one expects from a Patek.

The Ref. 5226G also subtly taps into the popular retro-chic vein without venturing too far into trendy territory. Its charcoal dial is evocative of an old leather camera case, which darkens to black around the periphery in a chic fumé (smoky) style. Gold applied numerals are coated with beige lume to mimic the patina of a vintage piece. On the au courant side, the watch comes with two interchangeable straps in camel-colored calfskin (with a nubuck finish) and black calfskin (with an embossed fabric motif and beige topstitching), so you can change up your look on the fly.

A modern classic, indeed.