Ryan O'Connor Review's The Patek Philippe - Complications Calatrava (5524G)

In 1884, the International Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C. established the system of standard time and the division of the globe into 24 time zones. And ever since, Patek Philippe’s engineers and watchmakers have been using their ingenuity to produce watches with multiple time zones that are both highly legible and easy to use.

The first thing to know about the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref 5524G is that it’s only available in white gold. This is unusual for a pilot’s watch, which are more often found in steel. It certainly raised a few eyebrows at the time. But Patek Philippe does not make many steel watches. At least not outside of the Nautilus and Aquanaut ranges.

Also unusual, for Patek Philippe this time, is the size of the case. At 42mm x 10.78mm it is one of the larger round models from the brand. That’s not a bad thing mind you. The watch wears comfortably on the wrist. And the larger case size allows it to appeal to a wider audience. Plus, it’s in keeping with the pilot watch theme. Pilot’s watches need to be bigger to make them easier to read at a glance.

The Calatrava-style case is mirror polished and has thin, curved lugs. These help it sit snug against the wrist. The thin stepped-down bezel is flat and has a slight incline. At three o’clock is a large crown. On the opposite side of the case are two lockable pushers at 8 and 10 o’clock. All three are fluted for a slip-free grip. The two pushers are used for adjusting the second time-zone. The pusher at 8 o’clock moves the local hour hand forward one hour. While the pusher at 10 o’clock moves it back one hour. Both are equipped with Patek Philippe’s patented safety lock system. A quarter turn unlocks the pusher so it can be used. Another quarter turn in the opposite direction locks it again. This prevents unintended adjustments of the local time settings.

As distinctive as the case is though, it pales in comparison to the dark navy blue dial. There’s no mistaking the ref 5524G. Even from a distance. The lacquer grained finish, rich with colour, pops on the wrist. This was also cause for controversy though. For a start more pilot watches have black dials. To promote contrast and legibility.

Over time though people have come to accept, and even love the bold personality of the ref 5524G. The applied Arabic numerals in white gold are lume filled and easy to read. Even in low-light conditions. So too are the blued cathedral-style hands for the local hour and minutes. The white home time hour hand is skeletonized and is not luminous. If it were you would struggle to tell the difference between local and home time in the dark.

The analog date at 6 o’clock is also new. It displays the date in 3-day increments. It’s linked to the local time display. At 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock respectively are the day/night indicators for the local and home time. All in all, it’s a very clean and easy-to-read dial layout. Perfect for a pilot’s watch.

Inside is the calibre CH 324 S C FUS. It’s equipped with the same Travel Time complication found in the Ref 5990/1A. It allows the local-time hour hand to move forward or backwards in one-hour increments. When one of the pushers is actuated, an isolator uncouples the time-zone mechanism from the going train. This ensures there’s no impact on the amplitude of the balance. Instead it continues to oscillate at a regular rate. Thus, maintaining accuracy.

The movement features many of Patek Philippe’s innovations. These include its patented Spiromax® spring and Gyromax® balance made of Silinvar®, a derivative of silicon. Working together, these ensure a rate accuracy tolerance of -3/+2 seconds per day. As specified by the Patek Philippe Seal.

Visible through a sapphire caseback the movement is nicely finished. Details included chamfered bridges with Geneva striping. The circular-grained gold rotor with perlage in the center. Snailed flanks. And a Calatrava cross. It’s a nice sight to behold.

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