Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 3919SG-001

The Patek Philippe ref. 3919 was made to bring new interest to the company’s main dress watch, the Calatrava, which has been around since the 1930s. This version came in yellow gold, white gold, and pink gold. Even though the unique pyramid-shaped hobnail bezel had been used before on models like the ref. 3520 in the 1970s, it wasn’t until the ref. 3919 in 1985 that it became well-known. Since then, it’s become a signature feature of this watch.

Despite the fancy bezel, the ref. 3919 stays true to Patek Philippe’s simple style. The 33mm gold case is sleek, with a mix of polished and satin finishes and straight lugs. The clean white dial looks like porcelain, with serif Roman numerals and the Patek Philippe name in a simple font. The small seconds at six o’clock is a nod to older Calatrava models.

The watch here is a special 18k white gold variation of ref. 3919 from around 1999, with a serial number of 1.8 million, belonging to the second series. It has a slim design and strong movement, along with a clean white porcelain dial featuring small seconds and Roman numerals, which completes its elegant look. The watch also presents an exhibition caseback, which was pioneering back then.