THE ESSENTIALS

MAKE: PATEK PHILIPPE
MODEL: 3796G
YEAR: c1995
BOX/PAPERS: NO/NO
CASE DIAMETER: 31mm
CASE MATERIAL: WHITE GOLD
BRACELET MATERIAL: LEATHER
MOVEMENT: MANUAL WIND

The Patek Philippe Ref. 96 is the original Calatrava, introduced in 1932 as the first model released by the brand after its acquisition by the Stern family. The model enjoyed an astonishingly long production run of four decades, during which dozens of variations were produced, differing in case material, dial colour, and design. Nearly 100 years later, the model remains a cornerstone of Patek Philippe’s lineup and a blueprint for understated elegance and functional minimalism.

In 1982, amidst the quartz crisis that nearly brought the entire Swiss watch industry to its knees, Patek returned to its heritage and released the ref. 3792, a direct descendant of the Ref. 96. The example we have here dates to the mid-1990s and features a white gold case. Its condition is astonishing—the case is extremely sharp, as if it had just left the factory. The ivory-coloured dial is pristine, with an eggshell-like texture, complemented by applied hour markers and a printed minute track.

The ultra-thin cal. 215 small-seconds movement came to us in excellent health, running at +2 seconds per day, with an amplitude of 265 and a beat error of 0.1 ms. The watch comes on a black alligator strap with its original Patek Philippe buckle. A beautifully elegant Calatrava that will no doubt bring a smile to your face.