Patek Philippe extends its family of pilot-style watches with the new Ref. 7234G-001 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time which was unveiled today.
Inspired by the manufacture’s aviator’s watches from the 1930s this design was first established five years ago. Today, the pilot-style livery comes to life in the form of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time watches with two time zones (in white or rose gold and with two case sizes) as well as in the Alarm Travel Time, a grand complication with a 24-hour alarm, and several limited edition pieces.
Over the past few years, pilot-style watches have established themselves as key models for the brand. The subtle combination of tradition and innovation makes them contemporary timepieces with a touch of history.
This success will be underpinned by the launch of the new mid-sized Ref. 7234G-001 Calatrava Pilot Travel Time in white gold.
As a medium-sized version of the Ref. 5524G launched in 2015, the Ref. 7234G Calatrava Pilot Travel Time has a diameter of 37.5 mm to fit women’s and men’s wrists. The round Calatrava case in white gold is sleek with a flat and slightly bevelled bezel as well as a caseband that merges almost seamlessly with the strap lugs.
The blue lacquered dial, inspired by aviator’s watches, is highly legible even in the dark thanks to applied white-gold numerals filled with a white luminous coating and broad luminous baton hands made of blued white gold. The face is decidedly technical yet timelessly elegant.
The self-winding caliber 324 S C FUS movement consists of 294 parts and features the exceptionally convenient Travel Time system for displaying a second time zone.
The two time-zone pushers are equipped with a patented safety system that prevents unintended adjustments of the local time setting. Before they can be actuated, they must be unlocked with a quarter turn, which is simplified by delicate fluting. Afterwards, they must be locked again with a quarter turn in the opposite direction.
The analog date at 6 o’clock shows the date in three-day increments to improve legibility without cluttering the scale. A useful feature for travellers is that the date is always synchronized with local time because the time-zone pushers also increment or decrement the date if the local time hour hand passes midnight either clockwise or counter clockwise.
The new Ref. 7234G is worn on a shiny navy blue calfskin strap secured with a clevis prong buckle in white gold. It is reminiscent of the harnesses that allowed pilots to keep their parachutes and survival kits readily deployable. The scope of delivery includes a second calfskin strap in vintage brown with contrast stitching much like the belts for classic pilot overalls.
This wristwatch for ladies and gentlemen comes in addition to the Ref. 5524G with a diameter of 42 mm, making an ideal pair. Both formats of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time are also available in rose gold with brown black-gradated dials (Refs. 5524R and 7234R).
