1949 Patek Philippe Calatrava Ref. 1543 With Hausmann & Co.-Signed Dial

Why This Watch Matters This classic example of a Calatrava was originally retailed by Hausmann & Co. in 1949 and features the retailer signature on the dial. The Full Story Patek Philippe released the original Calatrava in the 1930s and has made many different variations since then. The definition of what a Calatrava can and cannot be is somewhat up for debate, but it typically boils down to being a time-only watch in a round case built by Patek Philippe. The example we have here is ref. 1543 in yellow gold with attractively flared lugs. This model features a small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock with the retailer signature above it. This watch was originally sold at Hausmann & Co., a Rome-based retailer that has been in business since 1794 and is around today, still selling Patek Philippe.  This watch was built in 1949, so it has the "long" Patek Philippe & Co. signature on the dial. This was used until roughly 1948/49, when the company switched its dials over to rea