CARACTÉRISTIQUES TECHNIQUES
Exceptional Patek Philippe Calatrava ref. 3569, aka “Backwinder,” with a blue sigma dial, 18Kt white gold case, and ultra-thin peripheral self-winding PP 350 movement, from the 1970s.
White gold case measuring 35.5mm
Lug-to-lug 42.6mm
White gold hands and indexes
Couronne originale
Cristal acrylique original
Ultra-thin PP 350 automatic movement inside
ANALYSE
Within the vast horizon of Patek Philippe’s production, many watches have set milestones in the history of watchmaking. In its multifaceted approach to cutting-edge technology, experimentation in design, and research into materials, this Maison is unparalleled. This was also the case when Swiss watchmaking was plunged into crisis by the advent of quartz movements from the Far East. The Swiss responded with the Beta 21, an industrial movement produced by approximately 20 manufacturers (including Patek Philippe itself) and released to the market in 1969.
But the Geneva-based Maison was already looking beyond, conducting technical and technological experiments to assemble an automatic mechanical caliber that could rival quartz movements in terms of thinness. It is within this context that the self-winding peripheral caliber 350 was born.
During a project that lasted nearly a decade, Patek Philippe filed a patent in 1965 for an automatic movement with a peripheral rotor, an idea initially conceived in the mid-1950s by Swiss watchmaker Paul Gosteli. The first commercial results came in 1969 with the caliber 350 and the reference 3569. Unlike traditional central rotor movements, this peripheral system works from the outside in, allowing for much thinner movements (an improved version, the caliber I-350, was also presented in 1979). Another aesthetic and functional peculiarity lies in the positioning of the crown, which is located on the case back (hence the name “backwinder”), since the peripheral rotor prevented the crown from being placed in its traditional position.
The innovative reference 3569 is therefore not only an extraordinarily elegant watch, but also embodies all the technical and technological advances of a Manufacture.
Externally, the watch features a beautiful blue sunburst dial with a very minimalist design. The hour markers are narrow, reminiscent of the shape of thin pencil hands. The Patek Philippe signature is placed at 12 o’clock, while the sigma symbol is located at 6 o’clock, a reference to the white gold used to craft the markers and hands.
The white gold case has a disc-shaped form, characterized by a wide upper surface finished with an elegant hammering. The four thin lugs emerge subtly and almost silently from the disc-shaped structure of the case. At the end of the beautiful blue leather strap is the original 18K white gold buckle, stamped with Patek Philippe.
The screw-down caseback has six notches on the outside for opening and closing. The original crown, correctly denoted by the logo, is located off-center. Its unusual position allowed moisture from the wrist to penetrate the case, which is why many examples today appear dirty or damaged. This timepiece, however, is as good as new.
Housed beneath the caseback is the magnificent Patek Philippe caliber 350 with a bidirectional peripheral rotor. It has a diameter of 28 mm and is just 3.5 mm thick, provides central hours, minutes, and seconds, uses the proprietary Gyromax balance, and vibrates at 21,600 vibrations per hour.
