Lot 2506 PATEK PHILIPPE
JUMBO NAUTILUS REF. 3700/1
WITH CERTIFICATE OF ORIGIN AND CORK BOX

"One of the world's most expensive watches is made of steel" – Patek Philippe's slogan when introducing the Nautilus in 1976

PROPERTY FROM AN ASIAN COLLECTOR

PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH DATE AND BRACELET

SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, REF. 3700/1, MOVEMENT NO. 1'306'488, CASE NO. 537'218, MANUFACTURED IN 1978

Closed27 May 2019

Price Realised

HKD 1,375,000

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PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH DATE AND BRACELET
SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, REF. 3700/1, MOVEMENT NO. 1'306'488, CASE NO. 537'218, MANUFACTURED IN 1978
Movement: Cal. 28-255, automatic, 36 jewels, Geneva Seal, signed
Dial: Black matte ribbed, signed
Case: Two-part secured by 4 screws in the band, 42 mm. wide, signed
With: Stainless steel Patek Philippe bracelet with deployant clasp, overall length approximately 190 mm., Certificate of Origin dated 17 January 1983, Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1978 and its subsequent sale on 12 September 1979, instruction manual, leather folder and cork presentation box

The present Nautilus represents the rare opportunity for collectors to acquire an early example of the legendary Ref. 3700 sold with the Certificate of Origin and the iconic Nautilus cork box, all rarities by themselves.

Reference 3700
Reference 3700/1 was equipped with calibre 28-255 C based on a Jaeger-LeCoultre ébauche, the best thin automatic movement at that time. The cases were manufactured by Favre-Perret and they existed in stainless steel, steel and gold, 18k yellow, white gold and platinum, the dials were hand made by the highly skilled Stern Frères creators.

In 1980 Patek Philippe launched the manufacture of cases and bracelets in their Ateliers Réunis workshops and the Nautilus changed its reference number to the new ref. 3700/11. The new stainless steel used is called "Chrome-Nickel-Moybdenum steel" and the deployant clasp of the bracelet has been reduced to 16 mm., from 18 mm. of the previous reference.

Calibre 28-255
Another of the many attractions of the Nautilus Ref. 3700/1 for the watch aficionado is that from the very beginning it was fitted with what is generally agreed to be one of the great watch calibres – the 28-255. Based on the original Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 920 of 1967 it is regarded as one of the most beautiful and refined automatic movements ever produced. It is also very thin at only 3.15 mm., therefore highly appropriate for the slim and elegant Nautilus. The development of the calibre 920 was partly jointly financed by Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin. Audemars Piguet fitted their version, now the revered calibre 2120 into the Royal Oak, a further shared familial link with the Nautilus. Vacheron Constantin’s version became their calibre 1120.

The calibre is 12.5 lignes and has 36 jewels and 19,800 vibrations. It is supplied with the shock-protected free-sprung Gyromax balance with eight rotatable weights allowing rate adjustment without the need for a conventional regulator index. The winding rotor is formed from a beryllium ring with 21k gold rim, this clever design with four additional ruby rollers to support the rotor around its periphery allows the thinness of the movement to remain uncompromised.

In 1981 to coincide with the launch of a new Nautilus reference, the mid-size 3800/1A, Patek Philippe introduced its own new slim automatic calibre, the 335 SC with centre seconds feature.

For a two-tone Ref. 3700/11, please see the previous Lot and for examples of the Ref. 3800/1, please see Lots 2501 to 2504 of this sale.

For illustrations and descriptions of the Nautilus see Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe Wristwatches, Volume II; Patek Philippe Steel Watches by John Goldberger and A Study of the Patek Philippe Ref. 3700 “Nautilus” by mstanga.

Specialist note

To the best of our knowledge the present example has never been offered in public before.

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PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH DATE AND BRACELET

SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, REF. 3700/1, MOVEMENT NO. 1'306'488, CASE NO. 537'218, MANUFACTURED IN 1978

Considering selling a similar item?

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PATEK PHILIPPE. A FINE AND RARE STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH DATE AND BRACELET

SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, REF. 3700/1, MOVEMENT NO. 1'306'488, CASE NO. 537'218, MANUFACTURED IN 1978

Considering selling a similar item?

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