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. 2525R we have here embodies that same design language perfectly. Launched in 1952 and produced until around 1962, the ref. 2525 is the last of the classical era of Calatrava before the automatic movement was introduced to the collection in 1953 by the ref. 2526. Boasting a wonderfully aged dark golden dial that was originally champagne, the ref. 2525 that we have here showcases the best craftsmanship that Patek had to offer at the time – a fact reflected in the high degree of finishing used on the manual-wind cal. 10”200 movement. Additionally, the ref. 2525 features a large, for the time, 36mm case that offers a wonderfully contemporary touch to the collection’s original 31mm case, as used by the ref. 96. Offered with a co-signed dial bearing the signature of Freccero, who would have originally retailed the watch, this ref. 2525 maintains a direct and visual link back to its past making it the perfect addition to any Patek afficionado’s collection.

A luxurious and modern variant of the Calatrava that has proven to be exceptionally timeless, thanks to its large artisanally crafted case and gorgeously aged co-signed dial, this ref. 2525 has it all.