Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref.3893 + P

Here we present another beautiful Patek Calatrava, the epitome of quiet luxury.

Dating to circa 1993, this Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 3893 is about as pure as a dress watch gets. A slim 18k yellow-gold case surrounds a clean white dial with applied baton markers and small seconds at six. No date, no complication, nothing unnecessary.

The proportions are a big part of the appeal. At around 34 mm, the case sits elegantly on the wrist, with long curved lugs and a thin profile that keeps the gold refined rather than flashy. Paired with brown leather and an 18k Patek Philippe buckle, it is exactly the kind of watch that will remain timeless forever.

Inside sits Patek Philippe’s hand-wound calibre 215, an 18-jewel movement with Gyromax balance that became an important engine for the maison’s slim hand-wound watches.

The Ref. 3893 was introduced in 1980 and remained in production for more than a decade, offered in precious metals including yellow and white gold and even platinum. It never needed a dramatic redesign; the whole point was the opposite. Good proportions, a small-seconds layout and very little else.

This example also comes with its original papers, a particularly welcome detail on a Calatrava of this age.

Yellow gold, calibre 215 and almost nothing to distract from the essentials. A Patek for someone who understands that understatement can still make quite a statement. Available at Reestraat 3, Amsterdam.