When the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref. 5524G was first launched in 2015, it quickly became one of the controversial Patek watches in modern history due to it highly unexpected aesthetics for the heritage Geneva manufacturer; yet it quickly became one of the most sought after references for the maison. Last year, at the ‘Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore 2019’, the world was introduced to a smaller proportioned, limited edition Calatrava Pilot Travel Time.
Limited to 400 pieces and only be available in Southeast Asia, the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Singapore 2019 ref. 7234A was created specially for the Watch Art Grand Exhibition and it became the first variation of the watch to be available in stainless steel; the predecessor Calatrava Pilot Travel Time was rendered in 42mm white gold while the first variant in smaller dimensions 37.5mm ref. 7234R was released in rose gold.
The new Patek Philippe Ref. 7234G-001 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time follows the highly recognisable design launched five years ago, this time in white gold with a navy dial – like the first 42mm Calatrava Pilot watch, and now with a navy strap, and an additional tan calfskin strap. Inspired by the manufacture’s aviator’s watches from the 1930s, Patek’s Pilot watch has become a key model in the Patek Philippe collections alongside its other sportive models – the Nautilus and the Aquanaut and also its classical references like the Calatrava.
The collection subtly embodies the combination of tradition and innovation shared by all of the manufacture’s watches, taking inspiration from two aviator’s watches that were crafted in the manufacture in 1936 and are now exhibited at the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, Patek Philippe paid tribute to its own heritage with a highly contemporary interpretation of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time watch. Opting for an elegant blue instead of the typical black, the usual dial colour of aviator’s watches for reasons of optimised legibility.
Pilots watches of the era were already considered large by gentlemanly standards due to utilitarian requirements; measuring 37.5mm in diameter instead of 42mm, the new Patek Philippe Ref. 7234G-001 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time was intended to cater for feminine wrists but for men looking for more period-authentic aesthetics, just under 38mm is considered plenty large already historically speaking.
The siderometer architecture found on the original 1930s models, allowed pilots to precisely and swiftly determine their current positions but it became obsolete with modern navigation aids, hence, on the new Calatrava Pilot Travel Time, the vacated space makes way for a function that is much more useful for modern-day travelers: the display of a second time zone made possible by the exclusive Travel Time mechanism. This easily operable system was patented by Patek Philippe in 1959 and 1996. It is characterised by two hour hands from the center. The local-time hour hand can be adjusted via two pushers in one-hour steps. The date is synchronised with local time.
New Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Price & Specs
Movement Automatic calibre 324 SC FUS with 45 hours power reserve
Case 37.5mm white gold with 60 metres water resistance
Strap Leather
Price US$48,295