Description

A beautiful example of a Patek Philippe Calatrava reference 565 in 18k yellow gold, presenting a silvered dial with applied baton indices, blued steel hands, and a sweep centre seconds hand; the rarer and later configuration of one of the most important vintage Patek Philippe references ever made. The case is sharp with minimal wear, the dial is clean and original, and the movement has been serviced by our specialist. This is a watch for the collector who understands what the reference 565 represents: not merely a beautiful dress watch, but the piece that redefined what a Calatrava could be.

The engraving on the back commemorates “25 YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE” to “COMMERCE PETROLEUM COMPANY” in “1952” for an individual named Karl F. Holdefer.

Reference 565 – The Calatrava That Got Serious

The Calatrava was introduced in 1932, and for the first six years of its existence, it was a refined, classically proportioned dress watch in the 31mm tradition; slim, elegant, and entirely conventional in its resistance to the outside world. Reference 565 changed that. Launched in 1938 and produced in both gold and steel, it was Patek Philippe’s first large, water-resistant wristwatch, featuring a screw-down caseback and a dust cover to protect the movement, engineering ambitions that were, for a Calatrava, something close to radical.

The 565 is the Calatrava that got a little Rolex in attitude. At 35mm, it was meaningfully larger than its predecessors, and its two-body Taubert & Fils case with screw back announced that Patek Philippe was willing to build a Calatrava that could accompany its owner beyond the drawing room. The 565 was intended to be sportier. It was available in steel as well as gold, and the case with integrated lugs had a more streamlined design. And yet it remained unmistakably Patek: the finishing, the movement, the signing of case, dial, and movement in the house tradition, nothing about the 565 compromised the standards the Calatrava name demanded.

Produced between 1938 and 1952, reference 565 was Patek Philippe’s first large waterproof screw-back reference. In 2006, Patek Philippe paid it the ultimate tribute — using the design of the 565 as the basis for the modern reference 5565. Nothing compares to the original.

The Centre Seconds Configuration – The Rarer Dial

The reference 565 was produced in two distinct movement configurations. The earlier and more common version carries the Calibre 12-120 with subsidiary seconds at 6 o’clock, a classical arrangement that connects the 565 to the broader Calatrava tradition. The later and scarcer version, produced from the mid-1940s onward toward the end of the reference’s production run in 1952, carries the Calibre 12-120 SC: the same movement architecture upgraded with a modified gear train to drive a sweep centre seconds hand.

This example is the centre seconds configuration. The long blued steel seconds hand sweeps continuously across the entire dial — a visual statement as much as a functional one, its arc covering the full silvered surface on each rotation. Among the roughly 150 examples of the reference 565 that have appeared at auction since 2005, centre seconds examples represent a distinct minority. The vast majority are not centre seconds. Collectors who know the reference understand the significance immediately.

The Movement – Calibre 12-120 SC

The Calibre 12-120 SC is the movement that powered Patek Philippe’s most important mid-century references. Hand-wound, impeccably finished in the Geneva tradition, and stamped twice with the Geneva Seal — the independent quality certification that requires, among other standards, that every component visible under the caseback meets strict criteria for finishing and decoration — it is a movement that rewards examination as much as timekeeping. Côtes de Genève striping on the bridges, bevelled and polished anglage on every edge, blued screws: each element finished individually, by hand. The movement has been serviced by our specialist and is running well.

The Dial and Case

The dial is silvered and clean, original, unrestored, and presenting with the quiet confidence of a surface that has not been touched since it left Geneva. Applied yellow gold baton indices mark the hours with precision; the Patek Philippe Genève signature sits in crisp black below twelve. The blued steel dauphine hands are sharp and undamaged, and the sweep seconds hand carries the same blued steel finish, binding the three hands into a coherent composition across the white ground.

The 18k yellow gold case is sharp throughout. The integrated downturned lugs retain their original profiles, the bezel shows minimal wear, and the screw-down caseback, the feature that made the 565 the most serious Calatrava of its era, closes firmly. The acrylic crystal is clear and unscratched. This is a case that has been worn with care and stored with respect.

Specifications

Brand: Patek Philippe

Model: Calatrava – Manual Wind

Reference: 565

Year: circa 1945-1952

Case material: 18k yellow gold

Case diameter: 35 mm

Bezel: Polished yellow gold, smooth

ial: Silvered dial with applied yellow gold baton indices

Hands: Blued steel dauphine with sweep centre seconds

Movement: Manual winding – Calibre 12-120 SC, stamped with Geneva Seal, serviced

Condition: Excellent vintage condition with minimal wear; case sharp, dial original and clean

Accessories: Engraving commemorates “25 YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE” to “COMMERCE PETROLEUM COMPANY” in “1952” for an individual named Karl F. Holdefer. Watch only (no box or papers)

Warranty: 1 year warranty

Availability

This vintage day-date automatic watch is available through Vintage Times Amsterdam.

For further information or high-resolution images, please feel free to contact:

Vintage Times

Vintage Times Amsterdam is a small watch boutique who mainly deals online and with a select group of private collectors. We are constantly looking for rare vintage timepieces and try to present the best condition available. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact for more information about this watch or other timepieces from our collection. We ship worldwide and also welcome you for a visit at our office in Amsterdam.

Vintage Times

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