Grail Watch

Always watching for holy grail timepieces

  • Grails
  • Commentary
  • Collection
    • Watch A Day
    • Breitling Datora 592
    • Buren Calibre 82
    • Jaeger-LeCoultre AMVOX1
    • Junghans Mega 1
    • King Seiko 56KS
    • Nivada Antarctic
    • Paul Picot Firshire Chrono
    • Seiko SCED “Aliens” Chronograph
  • Reference Materials
    • Reference Database
    • Buren Calibre 82
    • Junghans Mega 1
    • Nomos Models and Movements
    • Sinn Models
  • About Grail Watch
  • @GrailWatch
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Copyright © 2019 · Log in

Home » Simply the Best: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5227

Simply the Best: Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 5227

February 2, 2016 By Stephen Leave a Comment

Having rejected the original Calatrava Ref. 96 and its successors as well as the entire Clous de Paris line, I now move on to something really special. Ref. 5227, introduced in 2013, was a high-point for the series in terms of craftsmanship and was unlike anything before. Let’s take a look!

Calatrava Ref. 5227

I’m not big on the “Grand Taille” cased Ref. 5107. The same is true of its replacement, Ref.  5127. But the next watch in that series, Ref. 5227, is kind of a big deal. It ditches the crown guards for a Ref. 96 look, has perhaps Patek’s best hour markers, and features a drool-worthy extra: The hinged caseback opens to reveal the movement in all its glory beneath a sapphire window.

Although commentators often call it an “Officer’s Case” because of that hinged panel on the back, this is not an appropriate description. A true Officer’s Watch also has screwed-in bars in straight lugs and a large crown for field use. There are a few Officer’s Calatrava models, including the excellent Ref. 5053, but Ref. 5227 isn’t one of them.

Buying a Ref. 5227

At almost $35k list, Ref. 5227 is the most expensive two- or three-handed gold Calatrava today, but if any of this series is worth the money it’s this one. It’s styled and finished like one of Patek Philippe’s complicated pieces and really stuns on the wrist. And that caseback is just begging for some custom engraving, making this a true heirloom piece. If I had the funds, I’d buy one.

This Ref. 5227 is really spectacular!
This Ref. 5227 is really spectacular! It’s rose gold, though that’s hard to see in this photo, and the hinged caseback is really something to behold.

I went looking for a deal on a used Ref. 5227 and came up mostly empty-handed. These are new watches (introduced in 2013) and are very hard to come by. K2 Luxury in Geneva has this fantastic 5227R listed on Chrono24 right now at about $25k. It’s said to be brand new and comes with the international warranty, but I’m not sure that’s the Patek warranty or not. That price might include VAT, which is 8% in Switzerland and is refundable if items are exported. But it’s still pretty dear for daily wear.

Shortcomings of Ref. 5227

Shortcomings? Well, I don’t love the center seconds or the fact that the full-width rotor on the Cal. 324 movement ticking inside partially covers that gorgeous movement. Although it’s a well-respected movement, Cal. 324 strikes me as a bit pedestrian, if you could say that about any Patek Philippe in-house movement. I could also do without the date window, since that’s not a typical Calatrava feature.

Plus, Ref. 5227 is a bit large at 39 mm. I wouldn’t let any of this stop me if I was shopping for a family heirloom, but it’s all a bit out of place on a Calatrava. This is an amazing watch, but it’s not the perfect Calatrava, and that’s what we were looking for!

Misfit Calatravas

I’m rapidly running out of Calatravas! I’ve rejected the classic Ref. 96 and its successors, the “hobnail” Ref. 3796 and its family, and even the glorious Ref. 5227! We’re left with some more unusual pieces, so I’ll examine the “Officer’s Watch” line next.


Year: 2010's
Brand: Patek Philippe
Style: Dress watch
Case: Rose Gold
Country: Switzerland
Source: Chrono24, K2 Luxury
Tags: Calatrava, Calatrava 5227, PP 324, Patek Philippe, Patek Philippe 324, Patek Philippe Calatrava, The Perfect Calatrava

Related Posts

  • Could an Officer’s Watch Be the Ultimate Patek Philippe Calatrava?
  • The Perfect Calatrava: Considering the “Clous de Paris” Ref. 5120
  • In Search of the Perfect Patek Philippe Calatrava, Starting with Ref. 96
  • Patek Philippe 5015 Moon Phase Power Reserve: Calatrava Plus
  • Patek Philippe Calatrava 5090J: “The Russian Watch”
  • Stainless Tonneau: Patek Philippe Calatrava 3574
  • Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon 1: Grails Go Grey-Market
  • Celebrating Leap Year with the Ultimate Modern Perpetual Calendar: IWC’s Da Vinci Perpetual Calendar Edition Kurt Klaus
  • Patek Philippe Twenty~4 Ladies’ Watch, Ref. 4910
  • What If Your Company Gave You a Limited-Edition Gold Patek Philippe?

Filed Under: Grails Tagged With: Calatrava, Calatrava 5227, Patek Philippe, Patek Philippe 324, Patek Philippe Calatrava, PP 324, The Perfect Calatrava

  • Audemars Piguet Dominates the "Watch Oscars", with Strong Showings Across the Board

    Audemars Piguet Dominates the "Watch Oscars", with Strong Showings Across the Board

    Continue Reading...
  • Seiko Galante History Part 2: Open Your Heart to Tokyo

    Seiko Galante History Part 2: Open Your Heart to Tokyo

    Continue Reading...
  • Seiko Galante History Part 1: Selling Sex in Japan

    Seiko Galante History Part 1: Selling Sex in Japan

    Continue Reading...
  • The History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

    The History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

    Continue Reading...
  • Parmigiani Bugatti: A Retrospective Look

    Parmigiani Bugatti: A Retrospective Look

    Continue Reading...

About Stephen

Stephen Foskett is a technologist, organizer, and watch nerd. Find him on Twitter @SFoskett.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts

Audemars Piguet Dominates the “Watch Oscars”, with Strong Showings Across the Board

Seiko Galante History Part 2: Open Your Heart to Tokyo

Seiko Galante History Part 1: Selling Sex in Japan

The History of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph

Parmigiani Bugatti: A Retrospective Look

Discovering Vintage Enicar Watches: Time For a Change

Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Gran’Sport: The First “Beefcake” Reverso

Surveying the 2018 Seiko x Giugiaro “Speed Master” LCD Reissue Series (SBJG)

Seiko Returns With Another Giugiaro SCED Series

Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon 1: Grails Go Grey-Market

About

About Grail Watch

Instagram

Favorite Sites

  • Blancpain Blog
  • Le Monde Edmond
  • Perezcope
  • Plus9Time
  • Reddit /r/Watches
  • Seiko & Citizen Watch Forum
  • Snowflakes & Shields
  • Swisswatches Blog
  • The Watch Lounge
  • Watch Wiki
  • WatchBase
  • Watches by SJX
  • Watchuseek