Patek Philippe - Calatrava

Calatrava

Dear Emil, excuse my late answer, i was five days off line.

I think it is difficult to answer, because you think it is Bauhaus, I think it is coincidentally.

I understand, that you will tie up Calatrava to the flat bezel, but Calatrava also had other bezels. The picture today in the forum helps me to explain this.

I know that Patek, Longines, Omega, Vacheron, Audemars had so called DESIGNER CASES like the Canape´, Tour de Eifel, Top hat, and more, but the old Calatrava in my opinon has a case, not more. So if you say, this is Bauhaus, a shoe polish dose also is Bauhaus. Also you can say, if their is no design, it is Bauhaus. But in this case, the lugs from Calatrava are too stylish.

Two fotos of Designer Cases. The Longines is pure Art Deco and PP is something like Canape´.

Best Walter

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History of Calatrava design?

By: plume : July 31st, 2018-12:55

Greetings, An article on the History of the Calatrava design published recently on the watch webzine « Monochrome » claims (without any source as a back up) that the Calateava design was inspired by Bauhaus. I’m somewhat skeptical and was told on another ...

Since Bauhaus was a popular, progressive style at the time of the original Calatrava's design...

By: Emil Wojcik : July 31st, 2018-14:48

...I would think even if the Bauhaus movement wasn't consciously considered, it would have been an obvious influencer to any designer who wanted to appear 'modern' at that time. The look of the Calatrava certainly can be said to follow the Bauhaus design ...

Much appreciated input....

By: plume : July 31st, 2018-15:21

but I'm specifically looking for information which is positively sourced. I have lost interest in the watch-webzine fashion of unsupported assertions. Thanks and best regards

I recall reading an article in a Patek magazine specially about this !

By: darma : July 31st, 2018-17:37

If I can find the magazine I’ll advise you in due course Regards Darma

Many thanks....

By: plume : August 2nd, 2018-12:09

I will read with great interest if you find it!

I am not sure that we can talk about DESIGN when we talk about the Calatrava.

By: Walter2 : August 1st, 2018-05:46

For me this is a "grown" design after the twenties. The only one what reminds that there is design, are the long lugs and may be the bezel. Patek was not the only house who had this case, i have a LONGINES of this years with the same case. I have seen Vac...

Your statement about the case being "to protect the movement, rather than design" accurately sums up one of the Bauhaus movement's principle philosophies...

By: Emil Wojcik : August 1st, 2018-14:26

Bauhaus focused on geometrical minimalism. It appreciated the look of mass production but stressed the importance of hand craftsmanship. This perfectly sums up the design of the original Calatrava. Although I don't know if it was originally designed withi...

Why not call it « design »?

By: plume : August 2nd, 2018-12:18

Not sure why you don’t think design is an appropriate word. Design in the modern sense has existed at least since the turn of the 20th Century with Jugendstil in Vienna, and if there was no design we would not be able to distinguish 1930s watches from 192...

I know you're asked this question of Walter, but I'd like to give you my interpretation of Walter's design comment...

By: Emil Wojcik : August 2nd, 2018-14:25

I read his comment to mean that the design is overly simple and almost appears to be lacking in design, that the case was designed with the purpose of housing the movement as opposed to being overly complicated or 'flashy'. It's not designed to look like ...

Calatrava

By: Walter2 : August 9th, 2018-06:12

Dear Emil, excuse my late answer, i was five days off line. I think it is difficult to answer, because you think it is Bauhaus, I think it is coincidentally. I understand, that you will tie up Calatrava to the flat bezel, but Calatrava also had other beze...

Walter, I appreciate your reply, but your description is exactly fitting with the Bauhaus school's philosophy.

By: Emil Wojcik : August 9th, 2018-09:35

Your description that the original Calatrava "has a case, nothing more" is literally a main defining point of the school -- form follows function. Bauhaus stresses that the importance of the case should be simply to house the movement. Although I understa...