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, however, every now and again Patek will create a special Calatrava that results from out-of-the-box thinking, which is exactly what we have here, the ref. 5027P. Launched in the mid-1990s, the ref. 5027P was a classically-sized Calatrava variant at 33mm in diameter, but its construction is far from normal. Made of platinum, its entire case is diamond-set with 48 Top Wesselton baguette diamonds weighing a total of 4.01 carats. Fit with a white diamond dial to suit its diamond-set case, this is easily one of the most opulent Calatravas ever made.

It's not often that Patek Philippe expresses their more opulent and extravagant side through the Calatrava collection, so when they do, it is pretty special, and examples end up being particularly rare, much like this ref. 5027P.