Bring a Loupe: Neo-Vintage Genius From Chopard And Parmigiani, A Waffle-Dialed Rolex, And A Patek 96

Patek’s original Calatrava—before it was known as the Calatrava—is the reference 96, which was produced for over 40 years, from 1932 to 1973. As with any area of vintage watch collecting, typically the earlier the production, the better. But with the 96, outside of special dials or case metals, condition really does top everything else. This is a small, 31.5mm in diameter, simple watch. With that, the general tendency is to focus on the condition. And while I can sometimes disagree with the overall hyper-fixation on perfect, perfect condition, for the 96, I wholeheartedly support collectors waiting for a really nice one.