Certain occasions call for a watch that is elegant, clean, and of the highest possible quality. One watch takes the proverbial crown in that category: the Patek Philipe Calatrava.

In 1932, Patek introduced the ref. 96 Calatrava dress watch. Named after the Calatrava cross, the symbol of the medieval Spanish Military Order of Calatrava and Patek Philippe's corporate emblem, this watch is the blueprint for every dress watch that came after it.

Traditionally, the Calatrava was a time-only watch with a classic manual-wind movement. The ref. 3445, however, provided a clean break with this tradition upon its introduction in the 1960s as it became Patek’s first serially produced automatic watch with a date complication.

Following the classic Calatrava’s aesthetic, the ref. 3445 features an understated round case with a thin polished bezel and elegant svelte lugs, executed in 18k yellow gold. The 35 mm diameter is the perfect size for a dress watch: neither too small nor too large.

This Calatrava features a classic champagne dial with elegant thin applied indices and a matching thin handset. Meanwhile, the date window at the 3 o’clock position sports a lovely 18k yellow gold frame.

This ref. 3445 dates back to 1970 and is powered by Patek’s beautifully finished ultra-thin caliber 27-460 automatic movement with an 18k yellow gold winding rotor. The watch comes on a brown alligator leather strap with an unsigned 18k yellow gold buckle, and is accompanied by an extract from the Patek Philippe archives.