If there’s one brand that turns watch admirers into collectors, and Geneva into their mecca, it’s 170-year-old Patek Philippe. The Calatrava‘s unassuming face and simplicity, though, was a departure for Patek when first introduced in 1932 as the company had spent much of the 1920s making blinged-out pieces with fancy complications. Even after the economy recovered, the edition remained one of the watchmaker’s most prized designs.
But what’s most remarkable about Patek watches is the work that goes into each one. “The most simple watch that we make takes about a year to produce,” says Patek’s U.S. president, Larry Pettinelli. This white-gold Calatrava, for instance, comprises 1,200 parts and is hand-assembled by a watchmaker and meticulously tested before being put to market. That’s a year perfecting a timepiece meant to last up to 150 years—long after your own ticker has expired.
Calatrava Wristwatch, $19,400
[Compliments of GQ, Built to Last]