Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 2591

This is true design by deduction!

While it might be tempting to add details when drawing a new watch, it is much harder to bring it back to its bare essentials and still keep it visually interesting.

This is a great example of that philosophy. You couldn’t take much more away before it becomes useless as a watch. Even the lugs have been pushed in and under the case, to reduce it to its purest round shape.

So how come this watch isn’t dull to look at? The devil is in the details! For starters, the crown subtly breaks the symmetry, throwing the balance off just enough to create visual interest. And then there is the champagne dial with subtle sun burst effect. Ton-sur-ton with the 18k yellow gold case. Low in contrast, but just enough to draw you in. The slim hands and long applied indices suggest movement inward towards the center.

Sometimes a whisper, only barely audible, draws so much more attention and fascination than a loud roar. This is the horological equivalent of that effect.