Patek Philippe releases a new addition to their iconic Calatrava lineup with the Ref. 5226G in white gold, and a new textured dial and guilloched Clous de Paris decoration on the case side.
Press release information with commentary in italics.
New: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5226G
The retail price for the new Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5226G: SGD 51,500 inclusive of GST
Commentary
A new Calatrava is often a celebrated welcome to the collection. Last year, Patek introduced the Ref. 6119 which is a phenomenal success as it brought back the Clou de Paris bezel to the collection. This year, the new Calatrava is in white gold, but with the self winding Caliber 26-330 SC which has sweep seconds, date and hackking seconds. T
The main difference to the Caliber 30-255PS used in the Ref. 6119 is this movement has a date mechanism, and the seconds hand is a centrally mounted sweep hand instead of a subsidiary seconds in a sub-dial at 6 o’clock. The price has increased somewhat with this change, and it is now priced at SGD 51.5k compared to the SGD 40.6k (up since our review from SGD 39k.
But the movement is not all that’s new. The dial is now a textured dial, made at the press and a dégradé gradient from charcoal grey to black at the rim. The hands are a less classical, but perhaps more contemporary syringe shaped with lume coating, while the Ref.6119’s hands were very classical Dauphine shaped with no lume.
And of course the Clous de Paris pattern which is engraved on the case side. This new design sees the lugs as extensions and integral to the case back bezel. The case is a “just right” 40mm, a smidge above the 39mm on the Ref.6119.
Both these features are also applied to the new Ref. 5326G Annual Calendar Time, and we see these two watches as elder and younger siblings. The 5326, of course has the extremely useful combination of the annual calendar in concert with Patek’s brilliant two timezone execution, and the 5226 is time only, with date. And as we remarked in our commentary on the 5320, the look is decided more contemporary (even though the inspiration is from vintage cameras), and perhaps targeted at a younger demographic than the traditional Patek clientele. Though, in truth, the design is probably ageless and appreciated by children of all ages.
Press Release information
A contemporary vintage style Calatrava new model with guilloched Clous de Paris decoration
Patek Philippe distinguishes itself not only by its inventiveness and technical mastery of movements, but also by its creativity in terms of cases and dials. The latest addition to the Calatrava collection, the new white gold Reference 5226G-001, is a perfect illustration of this quest for excellence in all areas of watchmaking.
Based on the round, streamlined case shape that has made Calatrava models famous since 1932, Patek Philippe has reworked it by adorning its flanks with a guilloched Clous de Paris (hobnail pattern) decoration – a motif emblematic of the Manufacture that was revived in 2021 on the Calatrava Clous de Paris Reference 6119. In order to allow this guilloched motif to run all the way around the caseband, the designers have also devised a special case construction in which the lugs form an integral part of the case back.
The charcoal gray vintage-inspired dial features a black-gradient rim. Its slightly grainy texture is reminiscent of antique camera cases. It is adorned with white gold applied numerals with beige luminescent coating, as well as a discreet “railway track” graduated scale for the seconds. The hour and minute are displayed by syringe-shaped white gold hands with beige luminescent coating. The date indication ap- pears through an aperture at 3 o’clock, printed in beige on a black background.
This new model is powered by the self-winding 26-330 S C caliber equipped with a stop seconds function.
The new Reference 5226G-001 is accompanied by two interchange- able straps – one in beige calfskin with a nubuck finish, the other in black calfskin with embossed fabric pattern and beige stitching – both secured by a white gold prong buckle.
The same case, dial and strap design is also featured on the new Ref- erence 5326G-001 with Annual Calendar and Travel Time function.
Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5226G specifications
Calatrava with date and sweep seconds.
DIAL
- Textured charcoal gray, black gradient rim, gold applied numerals with beige luminescent coating
- White gold syringed-shaped hands with luminescent coating
CASE
- White gold
- Caseband guilloched with hobnail pattern
- Diameter: 40 mm
- Height:8.53mm
- Water-resistant to 30 m
- Sapphire crystal case back
STRAPS
- Calfskin, nubuck finish, hand-stitched, beige (originally fitted)
- Calfskin, embossed with fabric pattern, hand-stitched, black (additional strap)
- Prong buckle
MOVEMENT
- Caliber 26-330 S C
- Self-winding
- Date in an aperture
- Sweep seconds
- Diameter:27mm
- Height:3.3mm
- Number of parts: 212
- Winding rotor: 21K gold central rotor
- Frequency:28,800semi-oscillations/hour(4 Hz)
- Power reserve: min. 35 hours – max. 45 hours
