The Patek Philippe Calatrava reference 565 in stainless steel is one of the most understated yet revered wristwatches made by Patek. Introduced in the late 1930s and produced into the 1950s, reference 565 was Patek Philippe’s first fully waterproof Calatrava, housed in a robust 35mm stainless steel case made by the famous Francois Borgel which was considered on a bigger size since they were producing the ref.96 (30mm) with screw-down caseback and integrated dust cover.

The highlight in this 565 has to be the stainless steel case construction—a departure from the more common gold executions as most Calatravas are made with—was produced in notably fewer numbers, making it a rare and collectible for seasoned collectors. The utilitarian construction was accompanied by a clean layout dial with symmetrical 3,9,12 arabic numerals and a rather big sub register.

The “long signature” dial, reading Patek Philippe & Co. Genève, reflects an early production period (pre 1947) which adds to the rarity and vintage appeal. Blued leaf hands, along with a sub seconds hands at 6 o’clock, complete the elegant yet purposeful presentation. The engine behind the watch is the manual-winding caliber 12-120, Patek Philippe’s finely finished and reliable movements from that era. The 565 exemplifies the perfect balance of understatement, symmetry, and utilitarian with military-like toughness wrapped in classic Patek design.