1 / 914 Nov 2026
55 / Patek Philippe
570A, 1st Series, Grande Calatrava, “Tropical Beige Dial”, Stainless Steel
Estimate: $150,000 – 250,000
- Brand
- Patek Philippe, Geneva
- Model
- "Grande Calatrava"
- Year
- Circa 1944
- Reference
- 570A
- Movement
- 925 405
- Calibre
- 12-120, manual-winding, 18 jewels
- Case
- No. 630 201 (by Antoine Gerlach, Geneva)
- Materials
- Stainless steel
- Bracelet
- Black Leather strap
- Buckle
- Stainless steel pin-buckle
- Dimensions
- Ø 36 mm.
- Thickness
- 9.5 mm.
- Signature
- Dial, case and movement
- Accessories
- Extract from the Archives
The wristwatch presented here is extremely rare. Fewer than two dozen Ref. 570 A models from the 1st series (Cal. 12-120) have so far been identified on the art market, and this is the only one with a silver two-tone ‘tropical’ dial with Arabic numerals. Bibliography • Nael, Ali, Patek Philippe, My Dream Collection, 2021, pp. 186-189. -- Patek Philippe, Reference 570 Reference 570 is launched in 1938 and remained in production until the early 1970s. This round-shaped watch (Ø 35.5 mm. to 37 mm.) is fitted with several manual-winding 12’’’ movements: With subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock: • 1st series, from 1938 to c.1952, with Cal. 12-120 • 2nd series, from 1950 to c.1960, with Cal. 12-400 • 3rd series, from c.1960 to c.1972, with Cal. 27-400 AM With centre-seconds (the reference here becomes Ref. 570 SC): • 1st series, from c.1939 to c.1950, with Cal. 12-120 SCi (indirect central seconds, hand-made by the workshop of the Fils de Victorin Piguet, Le Sentier, Vallée de Joux); • 2nd series, from 1949 to c.1972, with Cal. 27 SC (direct centre-seconds). Ref. 570 is the second large ‘Calatrava’ to be produced in series (the first being Ref. 530). Its design – shape and proportions – is directly inspired by Ref. 96 (launched in 1932-1933), from which it differs only in size (a diameter of 35.5 to 37 mm. instead of 30.5 to 31 mm.) and in the distance between the lugs (20 mm. instead of 18 mm.). These are three-body watches (separate case-band, case-back and bezel). Ref. 96 and Ref. 570 have a flat (right-angled) bezel. The three-piece case, snap-on case-back, was made by Antoine Gerlach (master hallmark number 4; this number inside the Key of Geneva). Most of these cases were made in yellow gold, more rarely in pink or white gold, and even more rarely in platinum or stainless steel. A few early examples (late 1930s and early 1940s) were produced with a two-tone case. Most of the dials were made by Stern Frères. They are generally silvered, sometimes gold, champagne or black, with applied gold Arabic numerals and alternating radiant or ball indexes. Some dials have ‘Breguet’ numerals (referred to by the Manufacture as HP, Heures Penchées or leaning hours). As with many references from the Art Deco period and the 1940s, there are a multitude of dial types, some of which are two- or three-tone. In the 1950s and 1960s, the dials had lapidated indexes, generally in the shape of a shell, positioned applied in a radial fashion (referred to by the Manufacture as HP, Heures Lapidées or lapidated hours). Depending on the period in which the dials were produced, there are dials with ‘long’ and ‘short’ signatures. The 1948 date is generally accepted as the date of change. Ref. 530, mentioned above, is chronologically (by just a few months) the elder sister of Ref. 570. This reference, more or less the same size (to within a few tenths of a millimetre), is distinguished from its younger sibling by its bezel with a concave rather than right-angled profile. The case is produced by Georges Croisier (master hallmark number 5; this number inside the Key of Geneva). Approximately 1 000 pieces were made in total. The following have already appeared on the art market: With subsidiary seconds at 6: • Ref. 570 J, 1st series, yellow gold with Cal. 12-120: 44 pieces (18-carat) and 6 pieces (14-carat) • Ref. 570 J, 2nd series, yellow gold with Cal. 12-400: 35 pieces • Ref. 570 J, 3rd series, yellow gold with Cal. 27-400 AM: 1 piece • Ref. 570 R, 1st series, pink gold with Cal. 12-120: 44 pieces • Ref. 570 R, 2nd series, pink gold with Cal. 12-400: 29 pieces • Ref. 570 R, 3rd series, pink gold with Cal. 27-400 AM: 2 pieces • Ref. 570 G, 1st series, white gold with Cal. 12-120: 0 • Ref. 570 G, 2nd series, white gold with Cal. 12-400: 10 pieces • Ref. 570 P, 1st series, platinum with Cal. 12-120: 5 pieces • Ref. 570 P, 2nd series, platinum with Cal. 12-400: 1 piece • Ref. 570 A, 1st series, stainless steel with Cal. 12-120: 20 pieces and 4 pieces two-tone (Ref. 570 AJ and Ref. 570 AR) • Ref. 570 A, 2nd series, stainless steel with Cal. 12-400: 1 piece With centre-seconds: • Ref. 570 J SC, 1st series, yellow gold with Cal. 12-120 SCi: 9 pieces • Ref. 570 J SC, 2nd series, yellow gold with Cal. 27 SC: 68 pieces • Ref. 570 R SC, 1st series, pink gold with Cal. 12-120 SCi: 6 pieces • Ref. 570 R SC, 2nd series, pink gold with Cal. 27 SC: 7 pieces • Ref. 570 G SC, 1st series, white gold with Cal. 12-120 SCi: 0 • Ref. 570 G SC, 2nd series, white gold with Cal. 27 SC: 72 piece • Ref. 570 P SC, 1st series, platinum with Cal. 12-120 SCi: 0 • Ref. 570 P SC, 2nd series, platinum with Cal. 27 SC: 8 pieces • Ref. 570 A SC, 1st series, stainless steel with Cal. 12-120 SCi: 4 pieces • Ref. 570 A SC, 2nd series, stainless steel with Cal. 27 SC: 1 piece During the war period or just after it, we sometimes come across Ref. 530s (Cal. 10-200) which are catalogued as Ref. 570s because of the change in their bezels: flat (right-angled) instead of concave. This period remains unclear as to the exact ordering of the series and sub-series that can be imagined for the various references. For the purposes of the study of references 570, these watches must currently be listed as pre-series. It should be noted that fluctuations in the price of gold and the Swiss franc during this period led to many subtle variations, particularly in the cost price and weight of the cases, which had a direct impact on the thickness and length of the lugs. Today, we can see that the construction of the cases of Ref. 530 and Ref. 570 was entrusted in those troubled times to several other case-makers, including Edouard Wenger (master hallmark number 1; this number inside the Key of Geneva), notably for the stainless steel cases. In these times of crisis, despite its neutrality, Switzerland mobilised in successive waves almost all of its male population on the borders of its territory, resulting in a temporary labour shortage in the professional world of the time (offices, factories, workshops and various trades), as well as in the rural world. As with other Patek Philippe references, the series and variations described here enable enlightened enthusiasts to build ensembles of remarkable watches, sometimes with pieces whose configuration is absolutely unique (metal of the case, movement and declination of the dial and hands). Ref. 570 – like Ref. 530 – is known to collectors as the ‘Grande Calatrava’. Since 2004, the Ref. 5196 is the standard ‘Calatrava’ wristwatch in the current collection (Ø 36 mm.). -- Bibliography • Huber, Martin, & Banbery, Alan, Patek Philippe Wristwatches, 1998, pp. 169-170. • Goldberger, John, Patek Philippe Steel Watches, 2010, pp. 100-121. • Patek Philippe Museum, Geneva, Patek Philippe Watches, 2014, vol. II, pp 331, 332 and 335. • Nael, Ali, Patek Philippe, My Dream Collection, 2021, pp. 182-205. ––
Biography
Patek Philippe, Master of all Horological Complication Patek Philippe is a prestigious Swiss watch manufacturer, renowned for its luxury watches and exceptional craftsmanship. Founded in 1839 in Geneva by Antoine Norbert de Patek (1812-1877) and François Czapek (1811-after 1869), the company quickly established its reputation as a manufacturer of superior watches. In 1844, following the National Exhibition of French Industrial Products in Paris, Antoine Norbert de Patek met Jean-Adrien Philippe (1814-1894), a young French watchmaker. In 1845, after Czapek’s departure, the two men concluded a commercial agreement and introduced numerous innovations in the field of watchmaking, notably a keyless-winding and time-setting system for which Philippe received a Bronze medal. In 1851, the company was renamed “Patek, Philippe & Cie – Fabricants à Genève”, and over the decades became synonymous with exclusivity, precision and technical perfection as evidenced by the wristwatch made for the countess Hungarian Koscowicz (1868), patents for a precision regulator (1881), a perpetual calendar mechanism (1889), a double chronograph (1902) and all the brand’s creations, whether pocket watches or watches. bracelets with horological complications. From the early 1900s until 1927, Patek Philippe introduced a unique business model. The house’s main distributor based in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, “Gondolo & Labouriau” sold more than a third of the production at the time thanks to a cleverly orchestrated sales system. These timepieces, known as “Chronometro Gondolo”, are collector’s items famous both for their very high technical quality and for their unique history. The watches were sold at the time, exclusively to members of a very select clubs called the “Gondolo Gang” which have 180 members. Being part of these collector’s clubs was, at the beginning of the 20th century, a distinctive sign of success in Brazilian society. According to an ingenious raffle system, each member of the club agrees to buy a watch for the amount of 790 Swiss francs divided into 79 weekly instalments of 10 francs. During these 79 weeks of repayment, a weekly draw is organized where the winner is released from the balance of his debt. The first winner pays 10 francs for their watch, the second 20 francs, etc. The earlier you buy your watch, the cheaper it costs, provided you win this lottery. Echoing this episode in its history, the “Gondolo” collection was reinterpreted in 1993 with shaped watches. In 1932, Patek Philippe became a family business when the Stern family, already involved in the production of dials for the brand, bought the company. It is also the year of the launch of a model that will become the brand’s flagship collection: the “Calatrava”. Even today, it contributes to the success and reputation of the company. Among the emblematic models of Patek Philippe, we can also mention the “Ellipse” (1968) with its elliptical-shaped case, at the crossroads of the circle and the rectangle which is inspired by the “golden ratio”; the “Nautilus” (1976), a sporty and luxurious watch whose case is inspired by a porthole; or watches for women, such as the “Twenty-4” collection (1999), which combines feminine elegance with horological precision. Since its creation, the brand has been driven by a spirit of innovation. In 1989, Patek Philippe released a very complex model to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Named “Calibre 89”, the watch is equipped with 33 horological complications and its calibre is made up of 1 728 parts. Eleven years later, in order to celebrate the second millennium, the brand released the “Star Calibre 2000” model, a double-sided pocket watch with 21 horological complications. Finally, the year 2002 saw the launch of the “Sky Moon Tourbillon” model, the most complicated double-sided wristwatch ever produced by the house. Benchmark precision instruments, Patek Philippe watches are also recognized by collectors for being objects of art whose beauty reflects perfection. For many years, Patek Philippe has strived to preserve all the high craftsmanship professions linked for more than four centuries to the decoration of timepieces. This is how exceptional contemporary creations come into being – pocket watches, wristwatches, or clocks –, most often unique pieces, which highlight all these skills that are threatened with disappearance. This transmission value is essential for the brand. Patek Philippe can be proud of having filed more than 70 patents since its creation, notably for a Gyromax balance-wheel (1949), mechanical watches with time zones (1959), a mechanical movement with peripheral rotor (1964), an indicator mechanism of the date of Easter (1985), an annual calendar (1996) or even an astronomical representation mechanism (2000). These technical innovations have largely contributed to advancing the horological industry while contributing to the brand’s reputation for excellence. Today, Patek Philippe is a watch brand that continues to produce superior quality watches that are admired by watch enthusiasts around the world. -- Key Dates • 1839: foundation of “Patek, Czapek & Cie2 by Antoine Norbert de Patek and François Czapek in Geneva. • 1845: following the departure of Czapek, the company becomes “Patek & Cie”. Arrival of Jean-Adrien Philippe, a young French watchmaker who invented a keyless-winding and time-setting mechanism. • 1851: the company is now called “Patek, Philippe & Cie”. The house presented its products at the Universal Exhibition in London, the first event of its kind. • 1868: manufacture of the first wristwatch for the Hungarian Countess Koscowicz. • 1901: the company becomes a public limited company. • 1932: acquisition of a majority of shares by the Stern family, one of the manufacturers of dials for the brand. Launch of the reference 96 which will later be called “Calatrava”. • 1949: patent for the “Gyromax” balance-wheel. • 1953: launch of the self-winding “Calibre 12-600 AT”. • 1968: launch of the first “Golden Ellipse” model, the Ref. 3548. • 1976: launch of the first “Nautilus” sports watch, the Ref. 3700/1 in stainless steel. • 1989: 150th anniversary of the manufacture. Launch of various commemorative watches and the “Calibre 89”, at the time the most complicated watch ever made, with 33 horological complications. • 1996: establishment of the new factory in Plan-les-Ouates, near Geneva. • 2001: inauguration of the Patek Philippe Museum in Geneva, exhibiting a remarkable collection of antique watches, horological art and enamel (1500-1850), and Patek Philippe watches. • 2019: 180th anniversary of the manufacture. -- Iconic models and current collections • “Calatrava”: this collection is emblematic of the manufacture. These watches are distinguished by their clean and classic design, with a round case and a minimalist dial. The “Calatrava” embodies timeless elegance and represents the brand’s traditional watchmaking know-how. • “Nautilus”: this model is one of the most emblematic models of the manufacture. Designed by Gérald Genta, it is high-end sports watch recognizable by its octagonal case and its integrated bracelet. It offers a perfect balance between sportiness and elegance. • “Aquanaut”: this collection is another line of sports watches from Patek Philippe. These watches are characterized by its octagonal case and rubber strap. It offers a contemporary aesthetic and high resistance to hydrostatic pressure. • “Twenty-4”: this collection is specially designed for women. These watches combine classic elegance with contemporary style. Initially equipped with a rectangular-shaped case and offering a selection of models with diamonds and steel or gold bracelets, they are now round in shape.