Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 4897 R ladies watch

The revered Swiss watch manufacture has just released its new Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 4897 R ladies watch: yet another member of its affordable (chuckle) Calatrava family.

The new ladies timekeeper is powered by an in-house ultra-thin (only 2.55 millimeters!) PP Caliber 215 hand-wound movement, which is reserved for the majority of current Calatrava and Gondolo series of watches, and sports both classic and modern exterior design making it one of the most exciting model in the brand’s extensive collection of timekeepers designed for the better part of mankind.

The beautifully finished movement comes packed in an elegantly-shaped 18ct rose gold body, which is only 33 mm in diameter and is just 6.35 mm thick: a very important thing for a ladies watch where a couple of extra millimeters of thickness may completely ruin the design making the watch look like a snuff box on a wrist.

It could have been thinner though, if not for the transparent case back that counts for at least one extra millimeter but, in my humble opinion, does make the watch much more attractive for those buying a mechanical watch for its movement, not for the brand name printed or applied on the dial.

The watch’s thin bezel is decorated with 72 round-shaped white diamonds that look surprisingly good on this timekeeper. Perhaps, it has something to do with the color and texture combination of the 4897 R’s matt brown satin strap and a dark chocolate-colored concentrically guilloched dial.

As you can see, the watch sports 12 elongated cone-shaped hour markers that are, too, made of rose gold: a signature design touch of the legendary family.

Well, I really don’t know what women want, but the 4897R looks much more interesting than, say, competing products from Zenith, that are almost stuffed with diamonds.

Very nice job, that.

Photos: Patek Philippe

Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 4897 R ladies watch specification

Price range: $29,300
Movement: Automatic, In-house, PP Caliber 215, 28,800 vph, 18 jewels, Gyromax balance
Complications: N/A
Power reserve: 44 hours
Case material: 18-carat rose gold
Case dimensions: 33 mm
Case height: 6.35 mm
Dial: Guilloched, dark brown
Water resistance: 25 meters
Strap: Satin, matt brown strap, 16-mm prong buckle in 18-carat rose gold
Crystal: Sapphire, AR-coated