Patek Philippe Calatrava 3919SG Japan Limited Edition

$12,900

A 150-piece special edition produced for the Japanese market, the Patek Philippe Calatrava reference 3919SG is characterized by the signature Clous de Paris bezel, applied Roman numerals and open sapphire caseback.

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This is the Patek Philippe Calatrava reference 3919SG. Founded in 1839, Patek Philippe is a name synonymous with high horology. A company that has always been privately owned, Patek has been manufacturing watches for almost two centuries without interruption. The company is currently owned by the Stern family, whose heritage dates to when they were supplying dials to Patek in the 1920s. Incidentally, the Calatrava was also the first model released by the Stern family as the staple time-only watch in the brand’s collection.

To understand the Calatrava, one must revisit the roots of the model with the reference 96. The first Calatrava was also the debut of the brand’s first in-house caliber, the cal. 920. Produced over a 40-year span, the 96 would set the foundations of all future Calatravas. Dimunitive, minimalist and dressy, these characteristics would go on to define the future references within the line as the brand’s flagship dress piece. The reference 570 was released during the same period as the 96 with a larger case size, though the smaller case size was more favourable during that period. The success of the early Calatravas laid the fundamentals of the brand’s most famous dress watch and it is from this foundation that the 3919 was born in 1985.

Characterized by the hobnail also known as the Clous de Paris bezel present in all variations of the reference, the 3919 was designed by Rene H Bittel. Bittel, a famous advertiser of the time based in New York, was approached by Patek to help the brand out of the quartz crisis. While the hobnail bezel was introduced earlier with the reference 3520, it is more closely associated with the 3919 due to its prevalence in the lineup. Measuring at a thickness of only 6.5mm and a moderate case size of 33.5mm, the proportions were perfect for the era as the brand embraced a slightly larger case size befitting of the times.

Given that the reference was produced for 21 years, it is safe to say that the 3919 is by no means a rare watch. However, in 1998, a little-known limited edition run of the 3919 was created specifically for the Japanese market known as the 3919SG, with the S representing the see-through sapphire caseback that sets this special edition apart from the others as the regular production variations were produced with closed casebacks. Another notable difference is the applied Roman numerals, differing from the painted Roman indices seen in the regular production examples. A relatively unknown reference, the 3919SG embraces the elegance of the classic Calatrava and merges it with the minimalist Japanese aesthetic to produce a watch that represents the best of both worlds.