Patek Philippe, Calatrava, "Steel Borgel Case", ca 1940.
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Case size: 31 mm
Material: steel
Movement: manual, caliber 12‑120
Year: circa 1940
Crystal: plastic crystal
Bracelet: leather strap
Reference number: 96
Serial number: 920'584
Case number: 621'215
Age-related wear. Renovated dial.
A simple function check indicated the movement runs; accuracy, power reserve and long-term performance have not been tested and servicing may be required at the buyer’s expense. Water resistance cannot be guaranteed and should be checked by a qualified watchmaker before any exposure to water. No right of withdrawal applies to live auction purchases.
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Introduced in 1932, the ref. 96 was the first serially produced Patek Philippe wristwatch launched under Jean and Henri Stern after their acquisition of the manufacture, setting the blueprint for the Calatrava line and, by extension, modern dress-watch design.
The example offered here dates to circa 1940 and is cased in stainless steel, a configuration far less common than precious metals and especially prized by today’s collectors. Patek’s steel Ref. 96 cases were supplied by Taubert & Fils, the Geneva casemaker that had acquired François Borgel in 1924 and continued to use the famed F.B in a key hallmark. Their steel work and water-/dust-resistant case engineering (descended from Borgel patents and later Taubert innovations) made them the go-to partner when Patek began offering stainless-steel wristwatches in the 1930s.