zelin0802 / May 23, 2022

Here is where the inheritance begins: Patek Philippe Calatrava—Ref. 5196 and 5227

“No one really owns Patek Philippe cheap, it’s just for the next generation to keep.” Patek Philippe is determined to create treasures dreamed by generations for the insightful, so the passion for mechanical watchmaking technology has always been the same, and the continuous pursuit of innovation and creation, in order to protect The proud tradition of “excellent quality, ingenuity and originality” established since its founding in 1839. This belief is particularly evident in the Calatrava series, which has not stopped for 80 years. For all collectors who want to enter the field of top watch and start their own family heritage, the Patek Philippe Calatrava series is definitely the best choice.

The Bauhaus, which appeared in the 1920s and 1930s and established the school of modernist design and architecture, embraced a basic idea that “function determines form”. Patek Philippe deeply agreed with this, and based on this, launched the Calatrava watch series in 1932. The round case contains a simple and precise movement, and the fluent surface is only loyal to the function of “time display”. Therefore, its surface is completely free of unnecessary superfluous elements, so as not to distract attention and allow people to concentrate on reading time. The artistic simplicity of simplicity is evident in Calatrava, which is still the source of inspiration for many watch designs today. The Calatrava series not only established the Taishan status of the round watch, but also became the famous and irreplaceable classic legend of Patek Philippe.

After nearly 80 years of development and evolution, today’s Calatrava has developed into a complete collection of watches with various complications. However, during the development of Calatrava, Patek Philippe not only focused on improving the movement structure and adding various complications, but also focused on highlighting the Bauhaus style of the antique Calatrava cheap watches. Therefore, the Calatarva style with only hours, minutes, seconds or hours, minutes and seconds can be said to be the most complete preservation of the classical Calatrava that is not sloppy, not icing on the cake, restrained and simple but presents the perfect design concept, so not only always It is Patek Philippe’s best-selling watch, and it is the best choice for collectors who have just entered the field of top-level watches and start their own generational inheritance.

Eighty years after its inception, today’s Calatrava has developed into a complete watch collection with various complications, pictured here is the Calatrava Pilot’s Dual Time Watch Ref. 5524G.

The classic image of the Calatrava collection has already been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and the variety of complications that showcase Patek Philippe’s amazing craftsmanship should not require us to dwell on it. Therefore, we will only focus on the simplest and purest Calatrava styles, and take readers to appreciate the elegance of the Calatrava series.

Calatrava Ref. 5196

First released in 2004, the Calatrava 5196 is arguably the most classic and longest-running model of Patek Philippe’s current models. Even though it has been in existence for seventeen years, it still exudes a simple and irresistible appeal. Its design not only faithfully reproduces the functions of the hours, minutes and small seconds of the Reference 96, but also has an elegant and simple round case, a simple and simple milky white or silver-gray dial, a flat bezel and a long, curved, and connected case. The integrated lugs and other design elements have been preserved almost perfectly, only the diameter of the watch has been increased to the still slender 37 mm. This series is reported to have been discontinued this year (2022), and the new series to replace is yet to be announced.

Calatrava 5196R-001
18K rose gold case, 37 mm diameter, hours, minutes, small seconds, 215 PS hand-wound movement, at least 44 hours power reserve, Patek Philippe stamp, sapphire crystal and case back, water-resistant to 30 meters, alligator leather bring.

Calatrava 5196 is powered by the historic and prestigious 215 PS hand-wound movement, only 2.55 mm thick, with an excellent Gyromax® balance and Spiromax® balance spring, and bearing the Patek Philippe seal. Calatrava’s famous “Nail de Paris” model 3919 is also equipped with this movement, and its traditional and classical graceful posture perfectly echoes the Reference 96’s 12-120 hand-wound movement.

Calatrava Ref. 5227

As for the Calatrava 5227, it has a unique historical significance in the Calatrava series, because it is one of the very few special Calatrava watch models in Patek Philippe’s current models known as the Officer’s Watch or the Officer’s Watch. Patek Philippe’s founder, Antoine Patek, was originally a Polish nobleman who rose to lead the fight against the Russian invasion.

Calatrava Ref.5227 is a few of Patek Philippe’s “officer’s watch” style watches. The ancient round pot-shaped case is a special officer-style case for officers during the war. It also has a flip-up metal back cover. .

Among the many works of Patek Philippe, the one that best demonstrates the founder’s military style is the “officer’s watch” inspired by the pocket watches used in ancient wars. These special models have many features that are quite different from other Calatrava: the straight lugs with rounded ends and the straps fixed with turnlock screws are all military watches; the ancient round pot-shaped case is even more warlike In addition to the sapphire crystal case back, many officers’ watch styles also have a flip-up metal back cover, which is also a function of protecting the surface of military watches inherited from the past. Patek Philippe’s current officer watch models are very rare, with only a few remaining models such as the Calatrava 5227 and the Grand Complications 5160/500G.

Calatrava 5227R-001
18K rose gold case, 39 mm diameter, hours, minutes, seconds, date, 324 S C self-winding movement, 21K gold central rotor, 35-45 hours power reserve, Gyromax® balance, Spiromax® balance Balance spring, Patek Philippe stamp, sapphire crystal and case back, water-resistant to 30 meters, alligator leather strap, 18K yellow gold case model 5227J-001 and white gold case model 5227G-010.

Calatrava 5227 is equipped with a 18K gold case with a diameter of 39 mm and a thickness of only 9.24 mm, but it integrates two parts, a sapphire crystal case back and a hinged protective cover. The flange of the protective cover is extremely small. When worn on the hand, the hinge connected to the case is completely invisible, which shows the exquisite craftsmanship of Patek Philippe. The watch is equipped with a 324 S C self-winding movement with a 21K gold central automatic disc, a Gyromax® balance wheel, and a Spiromax® balance spring. cheap men watches

zelin0802 / May 21, 2022

SEVENFRIDAY Free-D

SEVENFRIDAY is a fascinating brand with an unusual take on timepieces. The first collection, known as the P-Series, took the watch world by storm with its rounded square cases and complicated-looking dials, and was affordable at around $1,000. This cemented SEVENFRIDAY’s position in the watch world.

Despite the unprecedented success of the P-Series, SEVENFRIDAY found it difficult to replicate the same dramatic results in subsequent series, namely the M and V-Series. The P-Series is a really good piece of work and they really raise the bar to a whole new level.

That’s why we were really intrigued when we found out that SEVENFRIDAY had launched a new timepiece with an interesting case in Free-D form. For the author, learning about the existence of Free-D was like browsing the watch forums while he was waiting for dinner in 2013 when he first heard wind of the P series. But the main question is: does Free-D live up to our high expectations for it?

Free-D was produced in early March this year to mark the brand’s 10th anniversary. It’s also done in style, with an outrageous 3-D printed case that looks unlike anything we’ve ever seen. In this case, we absolutely love the brand’s approach, as they could have celebrated the occasion by simply taking an existing watch and making minor tweaks.

The main highlight of this timepiece is undoubtedly the case, which is quite futuristic and modern. It’s a large watch with great wrist presence, but it’s equally polarizing among collectors. This watch is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, although we do hope that many collectors and enthusiasts will have continued interest in this watch’s striking aesthetic.

One thing’s for sure: this piece, even without the big publicity, has garnered quite a bit of attention over the past few months. Maybe it’s a new strategy for the brand, or a way to gauge public interest before deciding whether 3D printing is feasible. Either way, this is an interesting watch, and SEVENFRIDAY may have managed to crack the code again.

Case, Dial and Hands
The new 52.8mm SEVENFRIDAY Free-D is a bold timepiece featuring a 3D printed case combined with the brand’s signature rounded square case.

The 3D printed shell is made from PA11, a sustainable castor-based polyamide. The product is digitally manufactured using HP’s Multi Jet Fusion technology with dye RAL, an advanced dye technology specially developed in Munich. The end result is a rather rough looking case that’s actually quite charming to the touch.

Inside, the Free-D features SEVENFRIDAY’s signature rounded square case. The inner case is made of titanium with a domed sapphire crystal to complete the look.

Next, we have the dial and hands. The watch is equipped with three rotating discs, similar to the M series. The chronograph components are fairly intuitive, with each of the three discs showing the hours, minutes and seconds with the help of a triangular pattern.

The dial also features some 3D printed elements that fill in the negative space inside. The inclusion helps reinforce the concept of using 3D printed components, but more importantly, it also shows the uniqueness between the interior and exterior cases. The latter is important, otherwise it might look as if the 3D printed case was an afterthought, which certainly won’t be popular with many collectors.

Overall, the Free-D is indeed a bold and stylish piece. This watch is imposing, looks ultra-modern and striking. We love the design concept and how the brand stands out by incorporating 3D printing into its timepieces.

It’s also worth noting that despite its size, the use of a combination of polyamide and titanium means the watch is fairly light. This, along with the relatively short lugs, means it’s very comfortable on the wrist. Granted, this watch may not be suitable for people with relatively small wrists, but for the author (whose wrist measures 6.5 inches in circumference), the Free-D was oddly a perfect fit for his timepiece in the weeks he used it. cheap watches for sale

Powering the Free-D is the Sellita SW300-1 movement. Self-winding movements should be familiar to our readers as it is the movement of choice for many fledgling and entry-level brands. The movement has a power reserve of around 42 hours and beats at 28,800 bph. We can’t determine the level of finish, in part because the bottom cover is blocked by the outer 3D-printed casing. Still, we don’t expect anything beyond industrial-grade finishing, as seen with most typical Sellita-based movements.

In the description, it is also noted that SEVENFRIDAY chose to use a Sellita movement for this watch rather than the Miyota movement commonly found in other SEVENFRIDAY watches. The use of a Swiss movement definitely elevates the timepiece, although it only works to a certain extent. Thankfully, though, for the Free-D, the main highlight is the overall aesthetic of the case, so the movement isn’t the focus at the moment.

SEVENFRIDAY Free-D is a statement piece. It’s bold, loud and outrageous – no doubt about it. It is unabashedly different. In the weeks we owned the review replica watches, it was often assumed that the Free-D was made by an independent watchmaker for a five-figure price tag.

In terms of competition, no watch can compete directly with the Free-D. However, we think there are still some watches that share some similarities with this SEVENFRIDAY.

As we mentioned before, SEVENFRIDAY Free-D is a statement piece. It’s not just the owner who makes the statement, but more importantly, so does SEVENFRIDAY. Free-D proved that SEVENFRIDAY was more than a one-trick pony, and that they were capable of breaking away from the success of the original P-Series.

We do hope that Free-D sets the stage for SEVENFRIDAY and allows the brand to challenge the norm and create a timepiece as exciting as the original SEVENFRIDAY timepiece. 3D printing, especially the watch industry, is still in its infancy, and there is still a lot for players to explore. SEVENFRIDAY can certainly use their knowledge here.

We know what the brand is capable of and we do want to see replica SEVENFRIDAY be such a huge success again. Perhaps, Free-D might just be the beginning of something new – a savior freeing them from the burden of past success.