Patek Philippe: Calatrava Ref.6007A-001 Steel

Patek is Patek. So, if we are to avoid falling into banality, it is better to approach the review of their new models as we would for a Steven Spielberg film or as we did, for decades, for the last book published by the unforgettable Philip Roth. Meaning, commenting on it from a technical point of view does make sense, as well as a judgement on aesthetics must be made, but this isn’t enough. Because giants in their fields are first of all confronted to themselves, that is, to their own story before being compared to the competition or put to the test of potential buyers’ tastes.

Limited, Luminous and Calatrava!

So for the new Calatrava Reference 6007A-001, it is completely useless to comment on the movement as it features the typical automatic Calibre 324 – very reliable, running at 28,800 beats per hour with a maximum power reserve of about 45 hours – putting in motion most of the models of the line, and with the stylistic traits of the Knights of Malta. Instead, our attention will be focused on three details that, as we already know, will make hearts beat faster for the enthusiasts of the Geneva brand, details that could make this novelty a “long seller” for collectors.

The first, of course, is the limited edition of 1000 pieces. A quota that puts this special edition – proposed to celebrate the building of the new ultra-technological and super-optimised manufacture that will host the production of the Stern family watches for at least the next twenty years – in the spotlight for all aficionados, making itself, as mentioned, a potentially important “stock-market-rise” watch on an equal footing with the Tesla title.

The second, even more obvious than the first, is that the case, 40mm in diameter and 9mm thick (with a sapphire case back and the “New Manufacture 2019” inscription), is made of steel, a “poor” material by Patek Philippe standards but definitely the richest in terms of economic revaluation. Steel refers directly to the brand’s best sellers, such as the sporty Nautilus and Aquanaut, and even more to vintage models – legendary simply because they are very rare like one of the most expensive watches in watchmaking history: the Reference 1518, the perpetual calendar chronograph made between the 1940s and 1950s, which in its steel-case version (produced in only 4 pieces) represents the Holy Grail of our beloved sector.

And the third one? Well, it is a detail for connoisseurs. Observe the dial. Yes, that tone of blue – which the maison calls “gray blue” (with an unusual kitsch carbon-style decoration in the centre which might please Arabs and Asians more than Westerners) – recalls Patek immediately. But the real difference lies in the hands and dial markers. How many “only-time” Calatrava with the luminescence treatment increasing time legibility under poor conditions have you seen? The answer is very few; here’s this model’s great novelty. It will be available for 26,000 euros not only in flagship boutiques but also in official dealerships, therefore with a few more possibilities for customers all over the world to buy it.

Having said that, we are not afraid to give a judgment on the Calatrava Ref. 6007A-001. The original comments by enthusiasts and traders have been contrasting. Someone loved it immediately while others criticised it, comparing it to not-very-successful models of some renowned brands or even to a couple watches from commercial brands worth around 1,000 euros. The author, on the other hand, promotes it because, overall, it has character, and especially in the hope that it might be the forerunner for a Calatrava collection with slightly more sporty models featuring luminescent hands and numerals, and perhaps water resistant up to 100 metres (in this case it is up to 30 metres).

So, you might say, the promotion is only related to this combination: Calatrava and Superluminova? Well, essentially, besides the always-subjective aesthetic taste, the answer is yes. Because Patek Philippe is a giant and, as such, the company is above all confronted with its own history. And, in this sense, we are facing a small revolution.

By Michele Mengoli