Seen as a crowning jewel for many collectors, the Calatrava 96 is now known as a quintessential dress watch which embodies classic elegance. In 1932 however, it was at the forefront of cutting-edge design, arriving on the market when the wristwatch had only just overtaken the sale of pocket watches the previous year. This shift followed the First World War when soldiers had to adapt their pocket watches for practical use, attaching them to their wrists with pieces of string. As a result, wristwatches went from being a feminine fashion piece to a mainstay accessory for all, combining practicality with style.
Jumping on this wave, Patek Philippe produced the Calatrava 96 which stood apart from other wristwatches of the time. One example of its innovative design are the lugs. Most 1930s watches had lugs soldered onto the case, whereas the Calatrava featured lugs which seamlessly transitioned into the case. Today we take this design for granted, but at the time it was so innovative it was quickly dubbed ‘the Calatrava Case’ and was adopted by other brands such as Omega and IWC. Instead of a pocket watch modified for the wrist, the Calatrava Case signalled a clear move towards a fully conceived wristwatch. This represented a key influence behind the design: the Bauhaus movement which celebrated form following function. The plain dial, flat bezel and thin case further demonstrate this principle; the watch was designed to be easily worn and effortlessly legible, embodying what a watch is in its simplest form - an instrument for reading the time.
