Arguably the company's most well-known vintage model, the Ref. 96, introduced in the 1930's, was Patek Philippe's first creation from the Calatrava collection.

It is the original Calatrava...a true icon, occupying a prestigious place among the great wristwatches of the 19th century and the first model of what many consider today to be the most elegant and distinguished line of dress watches: the Calatrava. Launched in 1932, it was not only the first Calatrava, but also one of Patek Philippe’s first models to have a reference number.

The watch showcases sleek lines and subtle elegance, expressing artistic originality at its very finest. As Patek Philippe aptly describes, "These inimitably elegant men's watches are impervious to short-lived trends, recapturing the hearts of each new generation."

The reference 96 was also amongst Patek’s first models to showcase the Bauhaus design principle of “form follows function”. It achieves its powerful impact through the use of clean, simple, and elegant lines.

The Patek Philippe showcased in today's offering is a striking example of one of the company's iconic watches.

Powering it is its illustrious original Patek Philippe 10 ligne movement, unquestionably among the finest hand-winding movements ever built. It is stamped twice with the prestigious Poinçon de Genève and has eight adjustments - five for chronometer positions and three for heat, cold, and even isochronism. Isochronism is the amount of wind left in the movement. Most watches slow down slightly as their power reserve moves toward empty. This watch was made so as to be unaffected by the lessening power reserve.

It has fully Patek parts down to all hands and the signed winding crown. It presents beautifully on the wrist. The case is scratch-free. The top of the lugs have a brushed finish.

The dial which has a more modern matte white tone and layout, was expertly refinished and presents as just short of mint. Please inquire if you would like a fresh restoration.

One of our Master Watchmakers has fully serviced the watch which consists of fully disassembling the movement, carefully inspecting each part, replacing any overly worn components with genuine Patek parts, reassembling and lubricating the movement, and extensive timing testing and regulation (an $895 value).

For the finishing touch we have equipped it with a brand new crocodile strap making it ready for immediate enjoyment.

Included with the purchase is a one-year C.O.T. international warranty on the movement and its function and a full-page custom printed Connoisseur of Time Certificate of Authenticity,

Don't miss the opportunity to own this classic Patek Philippe, one of the company's most famous models, for a fraction of the price of a new one.

• Manufacturer: Patek Philippe
• Country of origin: Switzerland
• Serial no.: 921,801
• Year built: c. mid 1940's
• Model: Ref. 96
• Functions: Hours, Minutes, Subsidiary Seconds
• Designed for: Men
• Case material: 18K yellow gold
• Case markings (inside): Patek Philippe & Co, Geneve, Swiss, 0.750., 297,551
• Case condition: Scratch-free with signs of previous polishing.
• Dimensions: 30.5mm wide (excluding crown), 38mm long lug tip-to-tip 
• Dial: Matte white with applied yellow gold baton indexes, outer minute dots, sunk subsidiary dial for the seconds with crosshairs, previously expertly restored, just short of mint with light loss of finish around periphery. Please inquire if you would like a fresh restoration.
• Hands: Original, yellow gold, "faceted dauphines"
• Movement type: High grade, Cal. 12’’’-120, rhodium-plated, “fausses côtes” decoration, 18 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, cut bimetallic compensation balance, blued steel Breguet balance spring, swan-neck micrometer regulator
• Movement markings: Patek Philippe and Co., Swiss, Geneve, 921,801, Adjusted to Heat, Cold, Ischronism and Five (5) Positions, Eighteen (18) Jewels
• Band: Crocodile, fully stitched, padded, brand new and unworn
• Width between lugs: 18mm
• Crystal type: Acrylic, excellent condition
• Services: One of our Master Watchmakers has fully serviced the watch which consists of fully disassembling the movement, carefully inspecting each part, replacing any overly worn components with genuine Patek parts, reassembling and lubricating the movement, and extensive timing testing and regulation (an $895 value).
• Timing: Timed on a state-of-the-art computerized system. It is running strong and true, keeping very accurate time.
• Warranty: 1-year international warranty. Please email concierge@cotwatches.com for details. Your watch is important to us, and we will take care of it for its lifetime. We provide the best after sale care in the business with an extremely experienced team of four Master Watchmakers all of whom each have over thirty-five years of experience and a large number of parts. One used to be the watchmaker for an authorized Rolex dealership and was given special training by Rolex at their Beverly Hills Service Center and also has done authorized work for the Richemont brands including Cartier, Vacheron & Constantin, IWC, JLC and others.
• Box/Papers: BOX - Connoisseur of Time watch presentation box; PAPERS - Custom printed Connoisseur of Time Certificate of Authenticity
• Returns: 7 days full refund. 100% satisfaction guarantee

We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee for all of our watches. If you are in any way unsatisfied with the watch we will fully refund the purchase price anytime within 7 days after the watch has been received. Our goal is to exceed our client's expectations throughout the buying experience.

All watches are packaged carefully and mailed double boxed in specially constructed, reinforced shipping boxes designed for high value items. All watches are sent fully insured with signature required. Most of our domestic shipping is done through FedEx. At times we will also use USPS Express Mail, and we can accommodate most requests for your preferred carrier. International shipments are sent USPS International Express Mail or FedEx.

The purchase price will be the declared value of the merchandise on any required customs forms. The payment of all customs duties, tariffs, and taxes are the responsibility of the buyer.

Also note that water resistance of vintage watches can no longer be guaranteed and is not covered under the watch's warranty. We do not recommend getting a vintage watch wet, even one that was originally designed to be waterproof.

To get an idea of how this watch will look on the wrist, please use the Watch Sizing Guide