Basel 2009 - Patek Philippe 5116G Calatrava

New Calatrava. At Baselworld 2009, Patek Philippe launched a new model in its Calatrava line-up, the 5116G. The Calatrava Cross, was adopted by it at the end of the 19th Century as Patek Philippe's company emblem. In 1932 Patek Philippe launched a line of elegant round faced watches as its Calatrava line which has become the companies signature model.

The first version of the Calatrava was launched in 1932, but no other model is more popular than the Ref. 3919 Calatrava with the guilloché “Clous de Paris” (hobnail-patterned) bezel introduced in 1985. The Ref. 3919 Calatrava was updated in 2006 by increasing the bezel's diameter from 33.45mm to 36mm with the Ref. 5119 Calatrava. The Ref. 5116G is the latest iteration of this series.

The 5116G is powered by the manually wound caliber 215 PS movement, one of the thinnest of Patek Philippe’s movements. The 215 PS movement produces 28,800 semi-oscillations per hour (4 Hz) with a 44 hours power reserve. The movement can be admired through the sapphire-crystal. The movement displays just the basic time: hours, minutes and seconds, the latter in a sub-dial. This is the same movement which powers the Ref. 5119.

The case is 36mm wide and made from white gold just like the Ref. 5119.

This leads us to ask, what's new?

Email. Yes, email.


Side-by-side comparison shots of the Ref. 5119G (left) and the 5116G (right) make them appear to be almost identical except for the word "Email" inside the seconds sub-dial. For the like of us, we do not know what Patek Philippe means by this.

The difference seems to like in the manufacture of the dial. The Ref. 5119 has a white lacquered dial while the Ref. 5116G has a enameled dial.

The word enamel comes from the High German word smelzan via the Old French esmail. The script which reads "Email" on the Ref. 5116G's dial is actually "Esmail", meaning enamel.

March 2010 Update. The word "Email" has been reduced in size and is now located below the 6 o'clock "VI" marker. It is now no longer in script... and it reads email. Now I am confused.

About Patek Philippe. Patek Philippe & Co. was founded in Switzerland in 1851. It is acknowledged as one of the finest watchmaking companies in the world.