How is this dial so translucent? Is it enamel? Is it a fine stone or a cleverly tinted slab of sapphire? The answer is both far simpler and much more interesting, as Patek Philippe reminds us what a great many layers of lacquer can achieve by providing unique depth and brilliance that contribute to the new face of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time line. This ivory white shade is a departure from the dark colors hitherto applied to the dual time Pilot models. We had already seen it in blue, black and sunburst brown gradient variations. For the tenth anniversary of the model's introduction, Patek Philippe has decided to shift it towards a lighter tone.
PRACTICALITY PREVAILS
Some details of the new 5524G remain true to the collection's defining characteristics. Despite its sporty presentation, this is a Calatrava and one made of precious metal. No titanium, no steel: this was always going to be a gold case. Another feature that's integral to the collection is the use of sword shaped hands, one of which is skeletonized to display a secondary time zone. Reflecting another Pilot Travel Time signature feature, the latter is adjusted using the protruding pushers at 8 and 10 o'clock. Patek Philippe is not about to forgo the practicality that's been at the heart of the Travel Time system since its inception.
Oddly enough, Reference 5328G is a successor of a handful of pieces with very long power reserves, such as the legendary Ref. 5101P 10 Days Tourbillon. This addition to the Calatrava line takes its place among the likes of Reference 5226, whose signature design includes a grainy textured dial reminiscent of vintage camera cases, as well as an engraved Clous de Paris hobnail pattern adorning the caseband. Inside the white gold case and beneath the blue dial surface the 5328G's movement is new - though not entirely so. In 2013, Patek Philippe had introduced its original version in the rectangular format of the Condolo Reference 5200G, yet logic dictates that any movement in the Patek Philippe roster must be available for more versatile use. That existing Gondolo 8 Days, Day & Date indicator mechanism has thus found its way into a Calatrava case and thereby acquired a new moniker: Caliber 31-505 8J PS IRM CI].
MORE THAN EIGHT
The first thing that should be mentioned about this movement is that despite its "8-day" label, it is in fact endowed with enough energy to last nine. Patek Philippe deems that the ninth and last day should be displayed in red on the 12 o'clock gauge and not be counted as full-fledged energy as the watch would then be running on fumes. The second singular trait of the movement is its display layout, with a concentric date and small seconds sharing space with a day aperture at 6 o'clock. This large concentration of information is counterbalanced by the power-reserve indicator at 12 o'clock containing the brand's signature. In their mechanical and aesthetic expressions, long power reserves are resolutely a matter of balance.
There is great satisfaction in wearing a perfectly executed classic timepiece, one with just the right, sparse amount of frills and details. That may well be the definition of what a Calatrava represents. In any case, it is definitely what is achieved by Reference 6196P, a close relative of the Reference 6119 models launched in 2021 and representing a slightly more ornamental take on Patek Philippe's line of elegant three-handers. Gone are the Clous de Paris hobnail bezel and railroad-style minutes track. The brand has taken a couple of steps in paring down what may just be the quintessential Patek Philippe.
COUNTERINTUITIVE PAIRING
One of the oddly great things the Calatrava Reference 6196P achieves is finding a color to match its salmon pink dial. While this increasingly popular tone exudes a sophisticated, 195os vibe that is what Calatravas are fundamentally about, experience proves it's hard to pair. Browns, blues, grays and golds keep falling short. However counter intuitive, the near-black hue of the hour-markers ends up doing the trick. There is a sophisticated harmony between the cold gleam of the platinum case (with its signature diamond hidden between the lugs at 6 o'clock), the pared-down warmth of the opaline gilt dial (which the brand is reluctant to call salmon as it may be to vernacular for a high brow timepiece) and the faceted applied gold hour-markers hands and recessed dots in the minutes track. Such pairings are exceptional and achieve instant balance.
There are three phases in the life of the Twenty-4 collection. It was born a rectangular ladies' timepiece with two vertical rows of dia-monds, teamed with a bracelet and powered by quartz movements. Then in 2018, Patek Philippe introduced a round, mechanical sub-collection, with diamonds on the bezel and a wider 36mm diameter. The latter version, minus the diamonds, is the canvas chosen by the brand to introduce the first complication in the Twenty-4 line, thus opening a new, third chapter in its history. Not just any complication, mind you. It could have been a chronograph or an annual calendar. Instead, Patek Philippe opted for one that is part of their grand complications: a perpetual calendar based on their thin, microrotor-powered Caliber 240.
BROAD SPECTRUM
Both on paper and on the wrist, this Twenty-4 ref.7340 does confirm what many have been suspecting since first laying eyes on it. It is just as suited to men as it is to women. If any further argument was needed, let's call the silver-toned dial version, recognizable by its more ladylike wild silk-inspired (aka Shantung) pattern; while the olive green dial exudes a more masculine vibe. Given the overall growing trend towards smaller men's watch sizes across the watch industry, as well as the enduring appeal of larger models for women, this reference will certainly prove to be a perfectly unisex timepiece.
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