The classic version of the classic dress watch, this Patek Philippe Calatrava is the one to have. Model reference 3520D
HOW DO WE DATE THIS WATCH?
Model reference 3540 was first introduced in 1965, and the uprated 3540D in 1972. At first they were fitted with the calibre 175 but from 1977 they were again updated with the newer calibre 177 movement, so this has to be after that but the same Calatrava model still appeared in the 2004 range. Given that, we sent photos, serial numbers and a cheque to Patek Philippe for an extract from the archives. This document tells us precisely this watch was both made and sold in 1995.
CONDITION
The holy trinity of watchmakers are normally listed as Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin and Patek Philippe. But auction results at the very top end tell a slightly different story – of the 160 most expensive watches sold at auction, 115 of them are Patek Philippe models. (three for Vacheron, two for AP – see the list here.) At the top of the list is the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime for over $31 million US Dollars, but the Calatrava is the polar opposite of that watch. Yes, they are made to same standards, from 18k gold, in the same factory, but the Calatrava was always designed to be simple. So the movement hand winds, and tells the time – nothing more. The simplicity of the watch is not only the secret to it’s success, but also very difficult to do well without looking plain. The Clous de Paris bezel decoration is just enough to elevate the design from good to outstanding. The unpolished case does have marks consistent with regular wear, and the crown is the original signed one. The crocodile leather strap is new, and could be swapped for a different colour if preferred. If this watch is to be exported from the UK we will need to replace this with a regular leather strap to comply with CITES regulations. The gold plated buckle is not a Patek item.
This watch will be supplied with our branded presentation box, the Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives and our Certificate of Authenticity.
Please see the HD video for more detail. All photos and videos are part of the description and are of the actual watch unless mentioned. We do not photoshop any pictures, and the images are copyright of birthyearwatches.com and should not be used without permission.
SIZE
Width with crown 33.3 mm
Width without crown 32.0 mm
Between lugs 18 mm
Lug to lug length 36.8 mm
Case Thickness 5.1 mm
All sizes are approximate.
Included with this watch is a 3 month guarantee and free delivery to UK addresses. If you live outside the UK we can still deliver to most countries. Please see our Worldwide Shipping information, or Contact Us. Payment can be made by most credit or debit cards, bank transfer or PayPal.
From 1st September 2021 we will be planting a tree for every watch we sell, working with the International Tree Foundation (Est 1922) to make this business positive on carbon. By buying anything pre owned you are effectively reusing what already exists, but this takes it further and makes us feel good.
