Part 3 - My Calatrava Cross Love:Sorry for the three post thread! Last one i promise
And now, the reason for my love of the Calatrava Cross and Patek Philippe in general. If you want pure facts and only facts please don't read any further. The following is what I’ve gathered from a few excellent websites and nothing is done by my own research, I merely wrote a simple conclusion. These are neither confirmations nor facts but simply what people are saying in other forums, websites or hear-say. Please do not attack me for any inaccurate accounts, I’m merely sharing what I read. If you're curious like me, join me down the rabbit hole.
While researching on my watch, I was very intrigued by the Calatrava cross and its implied meaning and why Patek Philippe chose to use this historical symbol on their watches. This was not easy to find out as the information is not readily provided by the company but after some research this is just a little of what I found out from a few websites. Another note, the below are just rumours and stories told about the brand and is no way being certified by me as 100% accurate.
The Calatrava Cross is not a company symbol or a marketing symbol created for or by Patek Philippe. Infact it has deep historical meaning and the cross was only adopted by Mr. Antoni Patek for his company. Sometime back around 1850, Mr. Patek told Mr. Adien Philippe that he wanted to adopt the Calatrava Cross as their company’s Coat of Arms. Mr. Antoni Patek, as it turns out is a very superstitious man and famously said “I’d rather be lucky then talented any day”. He adopted the Calatrava cross as he thought it would not only bring their company luck, but protect them and bring them success they desired, which was to create the greatest watch company in the world.
This intrigued me greatly and I’m curious, not only do these watches have great value and quality in making of the watch but apparently it has some form of spiritual implications as well. The watch you’re wearing has a symbol that has deeper meaning than what it seems in the surface. Why did Mr. Patek feel that this cross will bring them luck? What is the symbolic meaning of the Calatrava Cross?
(Again this information is not readily available online however, I did call a friend who is a history buff, and back when I was studying high school with him under the british system, which teaches all this wonderful periods of history in relation to the crusades he kinda got addicted to the wonderful mysterious facts and stories of the past. Anyway, he told me that to get further details of the Calatrava cross, a trip to the libraries would be needed as not many people are interested in these kind of information these days. Perhaps one day I will make that trip as my curiosity is very much triggered by what little I have read so far)
To keep things brief, towards the end of the First Crusade (around year 1118) the Knights Templers were officially formed to protect pilgrims from bandits to and from Jerusalem. The organization grew to a organized powerful group throughout the years, even being officially sanctioned by the Church. In 1147, the King of Castile, had taken a castle from the Moors (medieval muslims from northwest Africa), the castle was named, Calatrava (in Arabic: Qal'at Rabah: 'fortress of Rabah'). The King asked the Knights Templers to assist in helping defend the castle against the Moors from retaking it. When it was discovered that they couldn’t hold the castle with just the Knights Templers, they found a simple monk who is a retired knight, who then offered his help in training other brother monks (who were also shepherds) in warfare to defend Calatrava. The group was officially recognized by Pope Alexander III in 1164 and In 1187, Pope Gregory VIII, officialy sanctioned this group of war fighting monks and took the name of the castle (Calatrava) and placed it on four fluer-de-lis like anchors that is united in the center thus creating the Order of the Calatrava. (I believe at that time, to be the second only group officially sanctioned by the church, after the knights templers)
According to some historian stories, in the battle when defending against the Moors, The pope told the monks and templers that the Calatrava Cross will bring them victory in battle even though they were outnumbered. History showed that they won the battle (the castle was eventually retaken by the Moors however and then retaken again by the order). The order than move on to become very rich and powerful owning many lands and by the 15th century, they had 200,000 members, operating under different illustrious grand masters.
Crazy Stories I've come across (may or may not be true!):After Antoni Patek passed away, it is rumoured that he left behind a journal, and in that journal was his explanation of the power of the Calatrava Cross. Supposedly, its origin dates back to 2560 B.C., and over the millennia its secret came into the hands of the Pope and then passed on from one Pope to the next. Patek apparently believed that if he harnessed the power of the Four Triads (Calatrava Cross) he would find success in life, and immortality for his soul.
The four traids are:
1) The Traid of Time
2) The Traid of Life
3) The Traid of Awareness
4) The Traid of Creation
Some pictures of Heirloom coins with the Calatrava logos on it:
Further deals of these symbols or their meaning or spiritual meaning can be found at this website
http://www.diamondcuttersintl.com/the-secret-of-the-four-triads/(I can’t stress enough, all this information is just for pleasure reading and I’m not saying I believe in it nor saying that these are accurate. I’m merely sharing some interesting articles I found online. The dates and historical facts have not been verified and checked by me yet and I merely again took them from online sources I’ve come across, I’m sure some of the dates are inaccurate)
The Calatrava cross has since been adopted by some of the most powerful Christian families in history. At this point of my reading, I wondered to myself if our wealthy Muslim friends around the world who owned many Patek Philippe watches, know that every time to put on a PP watch, they are wearing a powerful Christian cross around with them. However, at today’s age I’m sure we can take the cross for its meaning as a brand and not for its religious pasts or implications.
I, however, fell in love instantly when finding out all this, as suddenly the watch I bought is not only a piece of art but has deep historical symbols and meaning to it. I have subsequently read up on quite a number of people relating wearing a Patek to having success in life and wealth. There are even stories dating back years where people claimed that their business are suffering or feeling unwell generally and after wearing the Calatrava Cross (via a Patek watch offcourse), their general wealth and health took a better turn. Off course it could also mean only successful or wealthy people owned these watches in the first place lol. Quite a catch 22! I personally find it quite novel, while i don't necessarily subscribe to the above beliefs, isn’t this a fun information to know! haha How exciting.
But its these little details that makes me fall in love with this brand and watch even more, whether you may be liken wearing a PP watch as wearing a little bit of luck or charm with you or It’s a little piece of history you can wear on your arm everyday or the mystery that comes with the watch or simply admire its design and craftsmanship or the fact that in todays commercial world, the brand is still owned by a family owned business where the father (owner) still passes down his Patek Philippe to his son when they turn 20. I believe its a combination of everything
And that to me, ladies and gentlemen, is why i feel Patek Philippe is a brand and watch worth buying. Thank you for reading.
(The family that owns Patek passes down their watch to each generation when they turn 20, claiming their own sons don't deserve the Patek before that age, which i think fits beautifully with their motto of passing down generations. Although i feel 20 is a tad too young for a Patek, maybe 25 to 30 would have been better
)
Anyway I won’t bore you guys anymore but here are some other pictures of the other models I seriously considered before making my mind on the 5146 (some taken in Taiwan) to feast the eyes on. Thank you once again for reading and as this is my first watch review ever! Please go easy on me, no flaming or personal attack. I, offcourse, welcome constructive criticism.
I had a bit of an internal struggle in choosing the 5146R or the 5396R seen below:
But after a long consideration and seeing both in action on my wrist, i decided on the 5146R. While the 5396 looks more clean i believe the 5146 has a more classic image, especially with the cream dial. But i think you can't go wrong with either. Its a very close call.
Beautiful ladies PP watch: