The Patek Philippe Calatrava stands as a testament to one of the most esteemed watch designs from the 20th century, with its origins dating back to the 1930s, commencing with the iconic ref. 96. The updated reference 3796 was introduced in 1982 and ran up until the late 1990s. Minimal updates included a sapphire crystal and new caliber 215. It is often referred to as the last "classic" Calatrava for its nearly identical case shape to the original ref. 96. Although both references share a 31mm case width, these pieces are deceptive to many and wear much larger due to their long and curved lug architecture. For the average sized wrist they wear with elegance and are becoming more relevant today than ever as an appreciation for smaller watches is finally coming back into the collecting sphere.

On offer is a gorgeous example, ref. 3796G which is housed in white gold and features the classic "brushed" silver dial. As many Patek collectors know, the white-metals examples (platinum, WG and steel) were produced in fewer quantities, potentially making them more special as time goes on. This piece remains in fantastic neo-vintage condition with a clean case, displaying crisp hallmarks. The dial and hands are excellent with no notable wear under magnification. This example benefits from being accompanied by its original 18k white gold PP buckle, 18k spring bars and PP gator strap. If you've been looking for the ultimate classic dress watch, this ref. is one of our top recommendations. An archive extract has been requested to be included in the set.

Box, Papers, etc.: No

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