Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time

The Patek Philippe Calatrava needs no introduction. Its classic design and elegant aura transcends beyond the realm of the simple ‘dress watch.' In addition to one of the earliest round dress watches ever manufactured, Patek also made a pilots watch equipped with large, luminous Arabic numerals in the 1930s. Patek? Pilots watch? Yes. It was — and still is — a thing. In 2015, the maison caught the watch world by surprise by debuting the Calatrava Pilots Travel Time Reference 5524G. Housed in a 42mm case, this piece featured all the hallmarks of a tried-and-true pilots watch combined with Patek’s clever travel time complication beating within. A strict departure from the svelte profile and reserved aesthetic of a traditional Calatrava, to be sure, but no less significant — or beautiful. This particular example piece, a Reference 5524G-001, features an 18K white gold case with a sapphire crystal, a signed crown, and knurled pushers located on the 9 o’clock side. On the reverse, the case features an exhibition sapphire caseback framing the maison’s self-winding Calibre 324 S C FUS movement. The blue dial features a dark finish as well as large, luminous Arabic numerals, a matching ‘sword’ handset, a ‘skeletonized’ jumping local hour hand, a subsidiary date indicator dial at 6 o’clock, day-night indicator apertures, and a white-accented chemin de fer minute track. Outfitted with a signed brown leather strap with a matching 18K white gold pin buckle, this piece is accompanied by an array of factory goodies including its leather folio and Certificate of Origin dated 2018. While a traditional Calatrava serves the horological masses, the Calatrava Pilots Travel Time is for the enthusiast with a preference for utilitarian sensibilities, vintage aesthetics, and a particular need for its travel functionality. Can timezone jumping be more refined and unique than it is via this beautiful watch? Absolutely not!