Manufacturer: Patek Philippe Year: 1956 Reference No: 96 Movement No: 727'236 Case No: 309’075 Model Name: Calatrava Material: 18K pink gold Bracelet/Strap: Alligator Clasp/Buckle: 18K pink gold Patek Philippe pin buckle Dimensions: 31mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement, and buckle signed Accessories: Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming the present watch was manufactured in 1956 and subsequently sold on July 16, 1957. Further accompanied by Patek Philippe service invoice and receipt.
Catalogue Essay
The reference 96 is a cornerstone of vintage Patek Philippe. It was the first example of what is today possibly the most elegant and distinguished line of time-only dress watches ever: the Calatrava collection.
Launched in 1932, it was not only the first Calatrava, but also one of the very first Patek Philippe models to feature a reference number. In keeping with its Bauhaus design origins, it has no additional or unnecessary decorations; rather, the case and dial design achieves much with clean and elegant lines. One could consider the refeence 96 as the benchmark for all future dress watches. The birth of the reference 96 also coincides with the year the Stern family acquired Patek Philippe and of course, instituted the reference number system.
Throughout its lengthy production cycle, from 1932 until 1973, a wide array of variations were made, with a diverse range of dials in combination with case metals – most often in yellow gold, but also in stainless steel, pink gold, white gold, and platinum as well as two-tone iterations. The present model in 18K pink gold is fitted with a beautifully preserved silvered dial with pink gold baton indexes and subsidiary seconds. Crisp hallmarks and lightly oxidized baton indexes indicate very careful treatment with regards to the condition of this watch, and a recent service from Patek Philippe ensures this 96 is wrist ready.
Since its founding in 1839, this famous Geneva-based firm has been surprising its clientele with superbly crafted timepieces fitted with watchmaking's most prestigious complications. Traditional and conservative designs are found across Patek Philippe's watches made throughout their history — the utmost in understated elegance.
Well-known for the Graves Supercomplication — a highly complicated pocket watch that was the world’s most complicated watch for 50 years — this family-owned brand has earned a reputation of excellence around the world. Patek's complicated vintage watches hold the highest number of world records for results achieved at auction compared with any other brand. For collectors, key models include the reference 1518, the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, and its successor, the reference 2499. Other famous models include perpetual calendars such as the ref. 1526, ref. 3448 and 3450, chronographs such as the reference 130, 530 and 1463, as well as reference 1436 and 1563 split seconds chronographs. Patek is also well-known for their classically styled, time-only "Calatrava" dress watches, and the "Nautilus," an iconic luxury sports watch first introduced in 1976 as the reference 3700 that is still in production today.