The Calatrava 565 is already one of Patek’s more famous references. Designed to be slightly sportier, it was the first-ever waterproof Calatrava. This reference is also notable because it was one of the first Patek models that came in a range of different metals and with varying dials. Ku’s version features a sublime combination of yellow gold and a pinkish-orange dial—the same hue as the wild-caught organic Alaskan Sockeye you find at an upscale grocery store.
ANIMAL KINGDOM ROYALTY
2. @veraletwatches’ Kieselstein-Cord’s Alligator watch
American designer Barry Kieselstein-Cord had a thing for alligators and made plenty of watches featuring the scaly reptiles. Any timepiece that uses the form of an animal, like the Patek Philippe chameleon watch, holds a sacred place in my heart.
1. @mr.a’s Gübelin enamel lion watch
The king of the jungle also reigns supreme in the watch power rankings. “I saw it,” Mr. A said in an escalating series of DMs. “Fell in LOVE. WENT CRAZY.” The watch is rare, but it bounced around between Robert Maron and a series of other buyers before finally landing in its current loving home. The dial is made of enamel, which gives the lion and its radiant orange backdrop an irresistible softness. The star dial alone would make this a standout watch. This is, in my opinion, the platonic ideal of a timepiece in 2024: it’s fun but not so far out there that it couldn’t be worn every day.
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