Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R - Review & Buying Guide
Patek Philippe is a brand that barely needs an introduction. In the watch world, it is known for making highly precise, high-quality timepieces of exceptional complexity. In the real world, the brand is famed as one of the most prestigious and sought-after on the planet, instantly indicating status, wealth and of course, good taste.
First introduced in 1932, the Calatrava is the brand’s quintessential dress watch collection. It represents the purest expression of Patek Philippe watchmaking, featuring elegant round cases, exceptional movements, and clean dials.
Through the years, the collection has undergone several design updates, but always embracing the essence it’s known for - sophisticated and minimalist style. In 2021, Patek released a modern incarnation of the Calatrava with the Reference 6119R, which is meant to be the next-generation model in terms of design and functionality.
But before we examine the 6119R, we want to give you a quick overview of the noteworthy Calatrava collection to help you understand the new model's DNA.
Historical Background
Since 1932, Calatrava has been a cornerstone of Patek Philippe’s prestigious collection. That year, Jean and Charles Henri Stern purchased a significant stake in the company, then known as Patek, Philippe & Cie. The Calatrava was the company's answer to survive the Great Depression.
It was the watch that widened the brand’s reach to potential clients with a more conventional and accessible timepiece. So, in 1932, the Calatrava was released with the Calatrava Ref. 96. It was the archetypal dress watch flaunting a minimalist design with no complications or over-the-top embellishments: just simple seconds, minutes, and hours display with baton hour markers.
Source of the name ‘Calatrava’
Calatrava is the name of a castle in the Castille region of Spain, and a knight order was established in 1157 to protect it. The Calatrava Cross is the emblem of the religious Order of the Knights of Calatrava. It consists of a red Greek cross with a fleur-de-lis at the ends.
Patek Philippe established this symbol as its trademark in 1887, pairing it with the name Patek Philippe & Cie. Although the reason is unclear, it is indeed an attractive and distinctive pattern. However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that Calatrava was used as a model name on watches. Despite this, some time-only watches from the beginning of the 1930s with Reference 96 have the term Calatrava.
Design Inspiration of the Calatrava
Calatrava's iconic design reflects the minimalist “Bauhaus” principle, emphasising that function decides an object's form.
The Bauhaus principle advocates minimalism, simplicity, and functionality, and this belief is well reflected in Calatrava’s understated elegance, clean lines, and practical features. It’s no wonder collectors and enthusiasts admire the perfect harmony of design and utility of the creations.
Through more than nine decades, the Calatrava has evolved while retaining its core design principle. Each iteration brings technical improvements and subtle refinements, yet the collection has never strayed away from its foundational commitment to elegant watchmaking.
The Original Calatrava – Ref. 96
In 1932, the first-ever Patek Philippe Calatrava reference 96 was introduced in steel with a 31mm round case, a simple minimalist dial, and a leather strap. The dial only displayed baton indices, two hands, and seconds sub-dial at the 6 o’clock position. Simply put, it was meant to tell the time.
The watch proved to be a great success on both sides of the Atlantic and was in production for more than 40 years until 1973 when Patek replaced it with the Ref. 2526. The Calatrava 96 is considered Patek Philippe’s legendary flagship model. Initially, it was powered by the JLC 12-ligne movement, but in 1934, the company equipped it with its new in-house Calibre 12’’120.
The Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 96, with its no-nonsense design and simple ‘time-only’ function, saved Patek Philippe from the financial crisis and became a classic dress watch for decades to come.
Technical Specifications of the Calatrava 96:
- Diameter: 31mm
- Materials: Steel (rare) & Yellow gold
- Bezel: Smooth
- Dial: Various, typically Cream or Silver
- Strap: Leather
- Functions: Hours, Minutes & Small seconds
Modern Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R
Released in 2021, the modern Calatrava 6119R is the quintessential dress watch, harmoniously manifesting timeless elegance in an 18ct rose gold body. This new model carries the legacy of Calatrava while pushing the lineup into the future. Once again, it is offered exclusively in a time-only format with a small seconds display.
Measuring 39mm in diameter, the rose gold case has a round design with lugs that seamlessly integrate into the case shape, reminiscent of the original Calatrava 96. The matte silver dial contrasts beautifully with the sharp gold indices and hands, all of which come together to impressively pull off the whole design. Small touches like the rose gold inlay surrounding the sub-dial or the applied rose gold dots in the railroad track enhance the glamour of the timepiece.
However, the main standout feature is the ‘Clous De Paris’ hobnail-finished bezel, originally introduced in the Calatrava Ref. 3250 and has since become a staple in the catalogue. In short, it’s a modern watch with vintage details.
Initial Review
The new model clearly takes its design cues from the original Calatrava Ref. 96, which dates back to 1932. This new model is a bit bigger and has curved lugs, making it an ideal fit. In many instances, we feel with the 6119R, Patek Philippe merges elements from past references while keeping it contemporary and relevant.
Thus, we find a new movement (Calibre 30-255 PS) wrapped in a design that has elements of Ref. 96, Ref. 3919, and Ref. 5119. Is it only us who think that the reference number ‘6119’ starts to make sense now?
Anyway, what gets us thinking is that in a world where automatic calibres are more mainstream and manually wound pieces are marketed towards the enthusiasts, why has Patek Philippe released a brand new manually wound movement?
The new Calibre 30-255 PS movement guarantees -3/+2 accuracy per day, which is helpful for those who want their watch to be highly accurate. While the design may be old-school, Patek has really outdone itself with the new movement here. Another benefit of the larger movement is that the dial and the overall layout are much more proportional. The 6119R looks very balanced or maybe more like a modern Patek.
It is also worth mentioning that the watch is equipped with a large sapphire display case back, which contradicts the standard practice of hiding the movement behind a closed case back. Maybe it is because Patek wants to showcase the beautiful finish of the movement inside, and we’re glad it did.
On the exterior, the most attractive attribute of the rose gold Calatrava 6119R is the Clous de Paris (hobnail pattern) bezel. Perhaps it’s the first thing that will get your attention. But we think you should pay equal attention to the case and the dial design to really understand this timepiece. In those aspects, the design is strongly inclined towards the 96D, dating back to 1934.
The 96D's design influence is evident in the faceted bullet-style gold indices and the Clous de Paris bezel. Thus, the manufacturer clearly returned to the roots of the Calatrava vocabulary. The grained silver dial is soft, off-white and subtly oozes luxury. The contrasting finish of the main and sub-dial creates a level of visual intrigue.
However, the 6119 isn’t just homage to the past.
The gold hands now have an added three-dimensional design with three facets per hand. A railway track minute scale frames the dial, complemented by a delicate seconds hand and a sub-dial at 6 o’clock, elegantly divided into four quarters. All these characteristics make the watch highly legible.
On trying the Calatrava 6119R on the wrist, we feel it’s very light and comfortable. It's definitely a wristwatch that would seamlessly glide from formal to leisure. The design just invites you to wear it daily. In the past, we’d have liked to believe that the Calatrava lineup is strictly dressy, but the 6119R, with its refreshing new look, surely and firmly changes that definition for you. It is more versatile and can be styled on so many occasions.
There is so much to love here. The price can be steep, but this is a Patek Philippe we’re talking about.
REVIEW: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 6119R
Basics:
- Model: 6119R
- Case Size: 39mm
- Material: Rose Gold
- Bezel: Rose Gold Guilloched With Hobnail Pattern
- Dial: Silvery Grained
- Bracelet/Strap: Alligator leather strap with square scales
- Movement: Manually Wound
- Power Reserve: 65 hours
- Water Resistance: 30 metres
- Price: £28,360
Case
The 6119R has a highly reflective rose gold structure, which makes it appear even more classic. The case size has increased to 39mm, making the Calatrava 6119R one of the largest Calatrava models ever. However, it is a bit slim, with a height of 8.08mm. The long, tapered lugs, spaced widely apart and finished with a simple polish, give the watch an elegant and refined feel when worn on the wrist.
The case is similar to the past models in many ways, both in terms of construction and quality, though certain elements have been refined, such as how the press fit-back is held in place.
Bezel
The bezel is the most distinctive feature of the 6119R. The Clous de Paris or Hobnail bezel incorporates two concentric rows of tiny, square-based pyramids turned by hand. What adds to the interest is that it bounces the light off, offering a really eye-catching look. It is easy to see why Patek decided to step out of the Bauhaus principle to include this!
The crown is decorated with the Calatrava Cross and looks even more appealing with the Clous de Paris bezel nearby.
Dial
The silvery-grained dial is simple in design but executed with various appealing details that give the watch a modern and fresh outlook. For instance, including a bold railway minute track on a dress watch might seem out of place, but it works well with the overall outlook of the 6119R. It even matches the sub-dial's crosshairs, another detail associated with a sporty watch.
Another thing that gives the dial a modern feel is the hands. Don’t mistake it for dauphine hands, as they are styled newly. They are three-dimensional, creating three faces on the hands while having short but wide counterweights. The hands are a key part of the modern look. With their steeper bevels and sharper lower points, the rose gold baton hour markers stand out in elegant contrast.
The spherical minute markers are even more unique, drawing inspiration from those seen on vintage dials. Here, they are positioned alongside the railway minute track to accentuate the watch's modern aesthetic.
The seconds register at 6 o’clock has a silvered, grained finish with a subtle concentric pattern that is almost invisible to the bare eye. Yet again, this represents a playful tiptoe into the modern-age design.
Bracelet/Strap
For the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R, the brand has opted for a highly polished, deep natural brown alligator leather strap with square scales and a gold prong buckle. The strap sits comfortably on the wrist, keeping the watch luxurious yet understated.
Movement
The brand new Calibre 30-255 PS makes its debut with the 6119. It is a large movement, and clearly, the twin-barrel configuration has something to do with it. Turn the watch, and there is nothing to distract you from admiring the beautiful finishing of the movement. It’s a fine-looking calibre, and the decision to increase the size makes it even more visually appealing and technically superior.
This manual wound movement offers up to 65 hours of power reserve when fully wound and is accurate to -3/+2 seconds per day, thanks to the two mainspring barrels within it, finished to the highest standards and authorised by the Patek Philippe quality seal. Furthermore, it has a Spiromax balance spring, a Gyromax balance and maybe the most necessary for the accuracy nerds – a hacking seconds functionality.
When the crown is pulled out to set the time, the balance wheel is blocked from oscillating, and therefore, the second hand will stop. This enables you to set the accuracy to one second rather than just setting the minutes and hands in isolation. Next, when you push the crown back in, the balance wheel starts oscillating.
Overall, at 31mm in diameter, the new 30-255 PS Calibre is decisively modern and better in both aesthetics and construction. In terms of design, the larger movement allows the second sub-dial at 6 o’clock to be placed closer to the dial edge, resulting in better dial proportions.
Another point worth mentioning is the quick-release spring bar, which is not something you see every day. It’s a practical feature that makes it easy to change the straps and avoids spring bars flying across the room.
Price & Availability
Priced at £28,360, the Ref. 6119R is about 20% more expensive than the Ref. 5196, but it is worth what you’re getting in this range. The value of the watch is tangibly better executed. The movement is superior to its predecessor, and so is the dial.
Many might question and compare equivalent watches from Breguet and Vacheron Constantin, but considering that it's Patek Philippe, the pricing seems fair enough. The Calatrava 6119R is an appropriately priced Patek Philippe that is outstanding technically and aesthetically.
Patek Philippe is a leading name in the industry, and if they set a lower retail price, it would only depress the rest of the market. As is the norm in the watch industry, the pack takes the pricing cues from the leader.
However, despite the steep price, the watch is in incredible demand, and you need to be lucky to get one at retail. Explore the pre-owned market to buy Patek Philippe, and you’ll not be disappointed with the resale value either.
| Model | Retail Price | Pre-Owned Price |
|---|---|---|
| Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R | £28,360 | £22,189 to £35,289 |
Why buy the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6119R?
The new Calatrava 6119R embraces the spirit of the Calatrava line, although slightly different. The rose gold case definitely works its way around us. The watch is smartly designed, incorporating familiar elements from past Calatrava models while ensuring it is modern.
Historically, the model was intended as a formal dress watch. However, now, the new Calatrava 6119R is kind of sporty-ish. The design works well as an everyday watch and also with casual wear. Part of its elegant, formal appearance can be credited to the mirror polish on all surfaces, and the case finish complements the dress-watch aesthetic seamlessly.
It has an undoubted presence on the wrist. If you ask us, we love the Patek Calatrava 6119R. Whether it is the thin case, the new larger 39mm size, the beautiful, elegant lines, the hobnail bezel, the classic dial layout, or the latest Patek movement, everything about this timepiece is just so appealing, making it a worthy purchase. The Calatrava 6119R sets the standard for judging all other luxury dress watches.
Lastly..
There is a reason why Patek Philippe is one of the ‘Holy Trinity’ watch manufacturers and is held as an esteemed brand amongst watch collectors, enthusiasts, and buyers alike. The Calatrava has always remained one of the most expensive Patek Philippe watches to collect, and the Calatrava Ref. 6119R perfectly fuses the model’s history with the brand’s current motive.
It’s not easy improving an icon, but somehow, the 6119R did just that! The watch scores highly in terms of design execution and technical brilliance and perfectly demonstrates the remarkable progress Patek has made in its entry-level watches.