Released in 1932 and named after the cross that the Calatrava Knights paraded around Spain and Portugal during the 12th and 13th centuries, the Patek Philippe Calatrava was released as a simple timepiece with broad appeal that would help secure Patek Philippe's finances following Jean and Charles Henri Stern's investment in the brand in the same year. Designed with a strict Bauhaus-inspired aesthetic in mind, the Calatrava used, and continues to use, simplicity as its means of establishing intrigue around the craftsmanship required to construct such a stunning timepiece. Without a complicated movement or a busy design, collectors gravitate towards the Calatrava's clean aesthetic and practicality, and the ref. 2509 we have here embodies that same design language perfectly. Launched in 1950, the ref. 2509 was a larger version of the Calatrava with a 35mm case instead of the 32mm typically used. Designed as a sportier watch, it featured a screw-down caseback and offered its wearer some water resistance, making it far more capable than most other dress watches at the time. Still practical for a modern collector, the ref. 2509 merges the Calatrava's original design brief in its purest form with a diameter that contemporary collectors can enjoy to this very day.

Watch is in overall very good condition. The yellow gold case shows softened edges in places, with several scratches and small nicks. The decagonal case back has light surface marks and a crisp 18K stamp. The dial has some light surface marks and patches of degradation around the outer edge, while the yellow gold dauphine hands remain very clean. The signature on the indelible dial is strong and raised. The dial is unsual and features the large crosshair subdial, but there is an applied index set at the 6 o'clock. It is factory set and we have been unable to find another example like it. Watch is fitted with a brown leather strap and a generic gold-plated buckle. Comes with a Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives and document holder.

A balanced and refined take on one of watchmaking's most historically important wristwatches, but with the added benefit of improved water resistance, the ref. 2509 forms an essential part of the Calatrava's historic legacy.