Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 3445 - "Very good" condition - Watch only

This is a Patek Philippe Calatrava, reference 3445, in 18K white gold, in wonderful condition.

Released in 1961 and made until the early 1980s, the 3445 was Patek Philippe’s first self-winding wristwatch with a date function produced in series. It was a turning point for the Calatrava, which had until then been a hand-wound, time-only watch. The 35 mm white gold case has a screw-down caseback for extra robustness. The white dial has applied hour markers, baton hands, small seconds at 6 o’clock and a discreet date window at 3 o’clock. The design is clean and timeless, at home under a shirt cuff in the boardroom as much as at the weekend.

Inside is the self-winding calibre 27-460 M (“M” for Monodate), the final evolution of Patek’s first automatic calibre, the 12-600 AT. Many collectors consider that line one of the finest automatic movements ever made, with a solid gold rotor and Gyromax balance.

Most 3445s were made in yellow gold, so the white gold version is much rarer and particularly sought after. A true collector’s Calatrava from Patek’s golden era.