Meet the Patek Philippe Calatrava 6007a-001, a stainless steel beauty that initially seemed as though it might be the only new release from Patek Philippe in 2020. We all know that this year is different—thanks coronavirus—but we’re happy to say that one of these gems has made it through the doors of European Watch Company.
This Calatrava 6007a-001 is a limited edition—1,000 pieces—released to celebrate the construction of Patek Philippe’s state of the art Manufacture building in Geneva. The new building which finished construction this year has been under construction since 2015 and seeks to unify all manufacturing aspects under one roof.
The sapphire caseback of the watch has the Calatrava cross, and “New Manufacture 2019” applied to it to mark the occasion. They chose 2019 because that’s when employees first started working there. This is a significant investment in the brand’s future and deserves a tribute watch to go along with it. Like the building, the watch serves as a reminder that Patek Philippe is looking to the future.
As mentioned, the 6007a is a stainless steel watch, which is a seldom-used material at Patek, especially in the Calatrava line. This is only the second current production Calatrava in steel and the only one with a full lume treatment. While this Calatrava is elegant, it is undoubtedly built to be a daily wearer and is another more casual addition to the traditional dress watch focused line.
Powered by the familiar automatic winding caliber 324S, it displays hours, minutes, seconds, date, and has a 35-hour minimum to 45-hour maximum power reserve. The case is perfectly sized—in my opninion—at 40mm in diameter and 9.07mm thick. The overall design is versatile, and besides limitations imposed by its 30-meter water resistance, I think this watch could fit in anywhere.
The blue-grey hue of the dial with its satin circular-grained finish is gorgeous. Its the first thing I noticed about the watch, and it makes for a great initial impression. Though it’s only a time and date watch, the dial has a lot going on. It’s not busy per se, but it’s not simple either. It prioritizes quickly digestible data over simplicity.
The dial consists of twelve fully lumed Arabic hour markers, an inner railway track, an outer minutes track with numerals every five minutes, and the date at three o’clock. The inner railway track seems a bit redundant, but it also adds a bit of visual flair and draws your attention to the unique “carbon” patterned center of the dial.
This “carbon” pattern, as Patek Philippe calls it, is also embossed on the calfskin leather strap. It is meant to be a symbolic connection to the advanced technology that the new manufacture will pursue. At first glance, you would think this is a canvas or textile strap, and while it might not be an obvious choice to symbolize cutting edge technology, it fits the watch’s general aesthetic.
The fact that it is a celebration of Patek Philippe’s shinning new manufacture meant it wouldn’t make sense to withhold its release until next year. Still, it’s also an excellent offering from the brand during these most un-excellent times. While it’s not what we typically expect from the Calatrava line, I hope we see more of it. It’s durable, gorgeous, easy to read, has excellent proportions, and could easily be dressed up or down. Add those almost universally loved traits with an MSRP of $28,351, only 1,000 examples, and I can see this watch quickly moving into unobtanium territory. Act now while supplies last.