New Release: Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref. 5524G-010 When Patek Philippe released the first Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Ref. 5524G at Baselworld in 2015, the watch world was somewhat shocked. However, it was far from new. In the 10 years that followed, the brand continued to iterate on the pilot watch theme, adding more complications and sizes. As part of its “Watches & Wonders 2025” release, Patek Philippe released a new version of its original pilot watch, this time in white gold. The new model is called the Patek Philippe Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 5524G-010, and thanks to its ivory lacquered dial, it gives the collection a vintage appeal.
In the current catalog, it sits alongside the rose gold-brown dial 5524G. The light-colored dial and white case metal make the watch brighter and more suitable for casual wear. Although the Pilot Travel Time is derived from the dressy Calatrava style, it also has extensive luminous applications. I think this is important for a travel watch and it is a welcome feature. The raised Arabic numerals also look traditional and don't make it obvious that the watch is full of luminous.
The luminous material of the 5524G is creamy white with a black surround. The outline of the hands is also black, which contrasts with the light-colored dial and is clear and easy to read. This also makes the watch look more sporty. The black railroad track scale ring adds to the look. The case measures 42mm wide and 10.78mm thick. It is water-resistant to 30 meters.
Most Patek Philippe Pilot watches come with a full leather strap. However, the 5524G-010 comes with a khaki green composite strap with a textile pattern embossed on it. This adds to the casual look and makes this watch suitable for daily wear (and should be more suitable for long travel).
The Patek Phillippe Pilot Travel Time is powered by the Caliber 26-330 SC FUS. Composed of 294 parts and 29 jewels, this self-winding movement features Patek Philippe’s custom-made Gyromax balance and Spiromax hairspring, made from Patek Philippe’s custom-made Silvinar silicon blend. The movement is adorned with chamfered bridges, Geneva stripes, perlage and snailed flanks, and is certified with the Patek Philippe Seal. Automatically wound via a large circular-grained 21k gold rotor, it offers a 45-hour power reserve. Patek Philippe’s Gyromax balance runs at a frequency of 28,800 vph, maintaining -3/+2 seconds per day. All of this can be seen through the transparent caseback.
As the name of the Travel Time suggests, the movement can track two time zones with a local jumping hour hand. A patented screw button on the left side of the case allows the hour hand to be seamlessly jumped in either direction for quick adjustments when traveling. A day/night indicator shows the home time and local time to help keep track of other continents, and the date is displayed on a subdial. When you’re only tracking one time zone, the skeletonized hands can be hidden behind the main hour hand for a cleaner look.
Other models in the Pilot collection feature dark dials. While this is more common in pilot watches, the ivory dial doesn’t look out of place on this new model. It changes the look while maintaining legibility.