Introduced in 1961, the Patek Philippe ref. 3440 is a particularly interesting expression of the Calatrava, combining the restrained appearance expected of the collection with several less conventional details. Most notable is its water-resistant construction, with a distinctive screw-down case back rather than the snap-back architecture more commonly encountered on dress watches of the period. The 35mm case is equally interesting in profile, its unusual downward-turning lugs give an otherwise understated watch some architectural character.

This 18K yellow gold ref. 3440J dates to the first half of the 1960s and features a silvered dial that has aged to a soft cream tone. Its design is beautifully restrained, with applied baton markers, a distinctive grouping of three vertical markers at 12 o’clock, a finely detailed pearled minutes track and subsidiary seconds at six. Raised enamel Patek Philippe lettering and BIRKS signature add an additional layer of interest to this watch. Inside is the automatic calibre 27-460, one of Patek Philippe’s celebrated full-rotor automatic movements and a fitting mechanical counterpart to the unusually robust case construction.

Watch is in overall very good condition. The 18K yellow gold case shows surface scratches and more noticeable nicks to the case edges. The case back shows scratches and some marks around the tool notches. A partially legible hallmark remains on the crown side, with a more heavily worn hallmark on the non-crown lug side. The Double P winding crown shows some wear. The Birks-signed dial retains well-defined raised enamel text and crosshair within the small seconds. The dial surface shows spotting and scratches, with some degradation around several of the applied hour markers. The hands remain clean. It is fitted with a leather strap and gold-coloured pin buckle.

Please Note: Due to CITES considerations, if the watch is to be shipped outside of the USA, the exotic skin strap will have to be removed.