Thoughts On The Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G

In true Watches and Wonders tradition, Patek Philippe graced us with a string of new introductions. The Genevan brand unveiled 14 new wrist watches and a unique desk clock this year. Among them, there are always standouts. The big release for this year was not a highly complicated timepiece or a new addition to the Nautilus or Aquanaut line-up. Even the new, smaller Cubitus models weren’t the real talk of the town for Patek. It was all about the brilliant new Calatrava 6196P. But in the shadow of that watch, Patek Philippe released another Calatrava. The new Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G in white gold is the third model in a specific series of Calatrava models that was first introduced three years ago. Let’s take a closer look at the watch and discuss its relevance.

In 2022, I reported on the release of the Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Travel Time Ref. 5326G and Calatrava Ref. 5226G. Back then, I called them showstoppers. They turned out to be just that for more than one reason. The two Calatrava models presented a new aesthetic that could be labeled more casual and adventurous. The opinions on them were as divisive as they were strong. Above all, it seemed like you needed to be a lover or a hater, regardless of why. But as always, there is a nuance behind the strong opinions. It becomes obvious with the release of the new Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G. Three years after the release of the first two models, the new watch perfectly shows that the aesthetic is here to stay. But let’s look at the watch in a broader context of the Calatrava line-up.

The Story of the Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G

Before we jump into the broader context, Nacho wrote the introduction article for the Calatrava 8-Day Ref. 5328G. In the article, he explained the details of the watch, so if you want to read more about that, please check out his piece. In short, the new 41mm white gold model presents a new caliber that was in development for five years. First, the new caliber 31-505 8J PS IRM CI J has a 192-hour power reserve. It stems from new efficiency-focused innovations brought to life through a double-barrel construction and the Pulsomax escapement with Silinvar escape-wheel and lever. As a result, the watch has an 8-day power reserve with a ninth extra ‘reserve’ day to wind the watch.

Secondly, the dial that indicates the power reserve and the calendar functions features a vertical layout. It gives the watch a clean aesthetic and makes it very easy to read. The power reserve indicator is located on the upper half of the dial. It displays the 8-day power reserve nicely, and the extra ninth day gets a red marker, warning the wearer to wind the watch.

On the lower half of the dial, you will find a subdial that displays the subsidiary seconds and the calendar functions. The smaller of the two hands indicates the seconds, while the larger indicates the date. A small integrated aperture displays the day of the week.

We have seen quite a bit of this clever integration of elements from Patek Philippe. A great example is the reference 5236 with its in-line perpetual calendar. Last year, Patek presented the platinum version of that watch with a stunning salmon-colored dial that was Thomas’s stand-out release of the brand’s introduction in 2024. Additionally, the brilliant 5320 also presents a similar layout. That particular release has more in common with the Calatrava 8-Day, as we will find out later.

The Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328G as part of the Calatrava line-up

But first, let’s create some context. Currently, Patek’s Calatrava collection consists of 14 different models. But those 14 models are spread out over eight references, of which two are ladies’ references and one is the wildly creative ref. 5088, which is hardly a regular reference. This leaves five gentlemen’s references that you could divide into three classic silhouettes and two more casual references. The former includes the classically styled 39mm ref. 5227, the characteristic ref. 6119 with its hobnail bezel, and the brand new ref. 6196 that Mike wrote about. The more casual Calatrava references are the four sporty ref. 6007 models that were introduced in 2023. Lastly, the ref. 5226 from 2022 is essentially the time and date version of the ref. 5326 that it was introduced with, and the new ref. 5328 from this article.

The Patek Philippe Calatava Annual Calendar Travel Time ref. 5326G (left) and Calatrava ref. 5226G (right)

But these two are not part of the Calatrava line-up. As most of you will know, Patek Philippe has created the Complications and Grand Complications series for watches with technically outstanding calibers, regardless of the link to any of its basic collections. That’s why the ref. 5326 and ref. 5328 are part of that series rather than the Calatrava line-up despite the brand calling them Calatrava models.

The Patek Philippe Calatrava Travel Time ref. 5524G

Another example is the Calatrava Pilot Travel Time ref. 5524 and Travel Time Chronograph ref. 5924 models, which do not even have a basic counterpart in the Calatrava collection. That also sometimes makes creating context for releases a bit more challenging. But as we will discover, that is crucial to understanding the ref. 5328 and its two siblings.

The characteristics of the Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328G in its siblings

The connection between these three models is easy to make. All three feature a similar round-shaped white gold case. The design features a slightly chamfered bezel and a stunning hobnail pattern around its entire flank. The result is a case firmly rooted in the past but feels contemporary and relevant. All three models combine that case with a similarly textured dial. The inspirational reference for the texture of the two charcoal-gray dial models introduced in 2022 was the classic body of a photo camera. Whether that gives it extra depth for you or not—for me it does as it reminds me of my father’s classic Minolta camera he took pictures with during our family vacations— it adds an interesting texture to the dials.

For the new ref. 5328, that reference somewhat fades because of the dial’s blue color. But I do enjoy the texture regardless of its tone. It proves to be an interesting canvas for the numerals on the dial. The applied white gold Arabic numerals are filled with white lume on the new Calatrava 8-Day. It’s in line with the overall blue and white color scheme of the dial. For the previous models, it was a combination of dark gray and beige for a more vintage overall vibe. Both work well, in my opinion.

The Patek Philippe ref. 5172G

The connection runs deeper than it seems at first

But let’s focus on the applied numerals and the syringe-style hands because that is where it gets interesting. If you know the Patek Philippe collection, you recognize the style because we see it used on more classically styled models as well. A great example is the brilliant white gold ref. 5172 Chronograph, which is available with either a blue dial or a stunning salmon dial. As you can see, there is a clear kinship between these chronographs and the Calatrava models.

The Patek Philippe ref. 5320G Perpetual Calendar

But that’s not where it ends. Remember I mentioned the ref. 5320G with its in-line perpetual calendar? It also uses some of the aforementioned design elements. These features tie all these models together, making them a family regardless of the dial execution.

The Patek Philippe ref. 5373P left-handed chronograph

Before moving on, I must mention one more model. Because the destro chronograph ref. 5373 in platinum, which was unveiled in October 2022, is also one with similar design characteristics. Over time, it has become a recognizable style for the brand that isn’t just present in the current collection. The style of the numerals goes back to the 1940s, with the brand’s classic chronographs, such as the ref. 130, its successor, the ref. 530, and the ref. 1579 among others. We also see syringe-style hands used for the ref. 1463 “Tasti Tondi.”

The legendary ref. 1591 – Image: John Goldberger

However, the combination of numerals and syringe-style hands is historically connected to the famous Patek Philippe ref. 1591. This water-resistant perpetual calendar with luminous dial and hands was the direct inspiration for the ref. 5320 mentioned above. It laid the foundation for today’s watches in this style.

Back to the Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328

So, where does this leave the new Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328? First, it is great to see that the looks of the much-debated Calatrava models run a lot deeper than a lot of the discussion in 2022 focused on. I was already a fan of the Calatrava ref. 5226 and the Calatrava Annual Calendar Travel Time ref. 5326 from 2022. Seeing this new Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328 was a great reminder of how much I enjoy all three of these models. On top of that, it was eye-opening to see that the design is so well-rooted in the brand’s style, making it easy to appreciate these Calatravas even more.

On the wrist, the style of the Calatrava 8-Day translates into a watch that holds the middle between its siblings and the ref. 5172 Chronograph. The blue and white combination takes it out of the more adventurous style and gives it a slightly more stylish, even more formal overall presence. With its 41mm case that is just 10.52mm thick, it is a joy to wear. On top of that, realizing that this watch is that slim with a calendar complication and is easy to read thanks to its vertical layout makes this a standout for me in this year’s releases.

Final thoughts on the Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328G

This thin profile also reminded me of its connection to the Calatrava ref. 6119. They share the hobnail pattern despite being completely different watches. Because that is what this insight boils down to. I love the more adventurous style of the three Calatrava models, but plenty of people don’t. Whether you don’t like the dial texture or you don’t like the overall, more adventurous style of these references, that’s perfectly fair. However, it is good to see that their style is deeply rooted in the brand’s collection by creating a bit of context. The watches then make a lot more sense.

The much-praised Calatrava ref. 6196P

Now, you could debate whether these three models are proper Calatrava models. But to me, they are. And that’s based on the fact that they have an aesthetic connection with other models. But maybe even more important is that Patek Philippe has created a fluidity in its collection that allows the brand to put completely different designs in the Calatrava series. Sometimes, it is harder to grasp why the brand mixes things up so drastically with the different Calatrava models.

As a former brand strategist, I sometimes have difficulty following what Patek Philippe bases some of its decisions on. But as a fan of the brand’s watches, I see it lead to great diversity with classics like the popular Calatrava ref. 6196P and more contemporary models like this Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328G is commendable. In the end, that is what matters the most to me: finding excitement within a series. And that is exactly what I find with the Patek Philippe Calatrava 8-Day ref. 5328G.