Famed for their luxurious take on horology and all of its facets, Patek Philippe seldom constructs their cases from metals that are not precious, like gold or platinum. As such, stainless steel examples of Patek Philippe’s timepieces are inherently rare, sought-after, and unusual. Offered here, we have one of those very timepieces, the Calatrava ref. 3466 made from stainless steel. Contrasting the Calatrava’s elegant dress watch persona, the ref. 3466 has become legendary due to its position as one of the very few stainless steel vintage Patek Philippe references. Combined with its stainless steel construction, the ref. 3466 is also sought-after due to its uncharacteristically large 35mm case diameter being far more significant than the 30mm-33mm cases that would have been run-of-the-mill at the time. Featuring an automatic movement and a screw-down case on top of its large steel case, the ref. 3466 seems right at home in today’s horological landscape, with its beautiful classically styled dial serving as a reminder of the time from which it has come.

Watch is in excellent overall condition. Case has minor wear visible along the surface. Caseback has some scratches visible along the curved edge and around the recessed key areas. There is very minor oxidation visible in some areas along the caseback edge. The original dial in excellent overall condition, with some very minor marks visible and with some oxidation on the applied hour indexes. The watch comes on an aftermarket steel bracelet.

The 3466 is a favorite of mine amongst mid century Patek Calatravas. With a generous 35mm case size and a waterproof screwback design, the watch is as durable as it is elegant.