The Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph 5924G

Following the turbulence generated by Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref. 5524 of 2015 with its vintage pilot’s watch flair, the model has settled down as a stable member of the Calatrava family. For 2023, Patek Philippe is introducing another version of its Calatrava Pilot Travel Time, combining its dual time functionality with a flyback chronograph. Two references in white gold with contemporary coloured dials and enhanced functionality wing their way into the more vintage section of the Calatrava collection.

In just eight years, the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time has gone from being a misunderstood and controversial watch to becoming a highly desirable collectable. Relying on Patek’s signature Travel Time indication, the first models featured a second time zone or GMT indication with two hour hands, a practical day/night indicator and a date on a sub-dial at 6 o’clock. Appearing in a smaller 37.5mm for women in 2018, the Travel Time took on board an alarm mechanism coupled with the local time display in 2019.

The latest Calatrava shares the same 42mm diameter of former Calatrava Pilot models but gains in thickness to 13.05mm. Crafted in 18k white gold and polished throughout, the new models feature the vintage piston-style pushers at 2 and 4 o’clock to activate the chronograph. One of the key features of the first Calatrava Pilot models was the position of the two pushers on the left side of the case to adjust local time. Now, the solid hand for local time has to be adjusted in one-hour increments in both directions with the two enlarged push-pieces on the left side of the 30m water-resistant case.

Offered in two contemporary colours – sunburst blue-grey or lacquered khaki green – the dials uphold the vintage aviator codes of the Calatrava Pilot. The retro Arabic numerals, the cathedral-style hands and the minutes track all reference the original, but to accommodate the new flyback chronograph, the design of the dial has changed somewhat.

Still equipped with a date-by-hand sub-dial coupled with local time, this function now appears at noon to offer space for the 60-minute chronograph counter at 6 o’clock. Both counters are snailed with contrasting markings. The two day/night apertures on the dial at 9 and 3 o’clock for local and home time maintain their original position, but given the incorporation of a chronograph, the peripheral railway minute/seconds track is now precision-calibrated. Legibility is enhanced by the luminescent coating applied to the white gold Arabic numerals and the solid, white gold cathedral hour and minute hands. The additional hour hand, used to indicate home time, is skeletonised and white, like the central chronograph hand and the hands used for the date and 60-min chronograph counter.

The new Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph is powered by Patek Philippe’s calibre CH 28-520 C FUS, the same movement used in the Nautilus 5990. This automatic movement, which bears the Patek Philippe Seal, is visible via the exhibition caseback with its 21k gold oscillating weight, Geneva stripes on the chamfered bridges and circular graining. This column-wheel vertical clutch chronograph movement runs at 4Hz and can store up to 55 hours of power reserve when fully wound.

The khaki model comes with a grained khaki calfskin strap with a distressed vintage patina; the blue version is fitted with a grained navy blue calfskin strap, both with a white gold pin buckle. The retail price of the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph 5924G is EUR 72,870. For more information, please consult patek.com.