Patek Philippe

This incredibly attractive piece is presented in impeccable condition as it has just been serviced by Patek Philippe and has not been used since.

This early Nautilus is fitted with an extremely rare and attractive hash dial. As opposed to the very vast majority of the 3700, this lot has painted baton minute indexes instead of the usual dots. It is extremely difficult to find these watches as most of them had their dials replaced by standard ones during their lifetimes.

The watch is further distinguished by its stunning tropical dial. Extremely few are the examples that have developed such a deep, and homogeneous patina. This one displays an extremely rich coppery and caramel tone which will immediately strike and impressive even the seasoned collector. The combination of a hash dial and such a patina makes this present lot a unique opportunity to acquire one of the very best and attractive examples of the most famous model Patek Philippe has ever produced.  

Produced from 1976 to 1998, reference 3700 was the first Nautilus model to be released on the market and was nicknamed the “Jumbo” for its impressive size for the time. The reference 3700 would be the genesis for what has become the most sought after line of watches from Patek Philippe.

The Nautilus was inspired by the portholes on transatlantic ocean liners and was marketed to be the most expensive stainless steel watch on launch, brazenly commanding the price of a gold watch at the time. Its inspired design, as with the Royal Oak, was the brainchild of the late Gérald Genta, who famously sketched its blueprint in five minutes while dining meters away from a table of Patek Philippe executives.

Despite its imposing size, the Jumbo had a slim height of 7.5mm thanks to the ultra-thin caliber 28-255C inside, which was a movement supplied by Jaeger-LeCoultre and modified with Patek’s proprietary Gyromax balance wheel. In contrast to its famous contemporary, the reference has a two-part case construction so as to reduce the risk of water entry, accomplishing a depth rating of 120m. It consists of a case middle/back and a bezel with two lateral protrusions or “ears”. Both parts are secured by four lateral screws, concealed at the “ears” at three and nine o’clock, with a bezel gasket in between. Because of its monobloc case, the crown has a split stem so that it can be inserted and removed through the dial side.