PATEK PHILIPPEJUMBO NAUTILUS REF. 3700⁄1
PATEK PHILIPPE. A RARE AND ICONIC STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH DATE AND BRACELET
SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, NAUTILUS MODEL, REF. 3700⁄1, MOVEMENT NO. 1'308'996, CASE NO. 538'875, MANUFACTURED IN 1979
PATEK PHILIPPE. A RARE AND ICONIC STAINLESS STEEL AUTOMATIC WRISTWATCH WITH DATE AND BRACELET
SIGNED PATEK PHILIPPE, NAUTILUS MODEL, REF. 3700⁄1, MOVEMENT NO. 1'308'996, CASE NO. 538'875, MANUFACTURED IN 1979
Movement: Automatic
Dial: Blue 'Type 1B'
Case: 42 mm. wide
With: Stainless steel Patek Philippe bracelet and deployant clasp, overall length approximately 180 mm., Certificate of origin dated 1985, Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1979 and its subsequent sale on 10 November 1980, later presentation box and outer packaging Coming from a private collector, the present timepiece is fresh to the market reference 3700⁄1 'Jumbo' from the 3 rd year of Nautilus production featuring Caliber 28-255 C and a charismatic 'type 1B' dial, it is furthermore sold with its certificate of origin.
The Dials of Nautilus reference 3700⁄1
Created by Stern Frères, the distinctive striped dials of the Nautilus were entirely hand-made – each line recess is engraved separately. To achieve the aptly named 'gray depth of ocean' colour specified by Patek Philippe the dials were painted alternately black and blue several times and then covered with a protective 'Zapon' varnish. Early examples often display a degradation of the varnish so that depending on how a watch has been stored over the years, an individual dial may have tropicalized more towards either blue, gray, chestnut or green.
The indexes and hands are made of gold (sometimes erroneously called 'steel' on some Extracts from the archives) and filled with luminescent material. The Patek Philippe signature and the outer minute divisions were painted. Below the 6 o’clock index is the word 'Swiss' flanked on each side by the 'Aprior' mark of two sigma symbols. The Aprior mark was conferred by the 'Association pour la Promotion Industrielle de l’Or' on dials made of solid gold or at least with solid gold indexes.
The Nautilus Waterproof Case Ref. 3700⁄1
The case patent design of original Nautilus, reference 3700⁄1 was registered on 23rd April 1976. Made for Patek Philippe by Favre-Perret SA, Le Crét du Locle, from 1976 until 1981 when production was transferred to Patek’s own Ateliers Reunis workshops. It comprises two parts, the main body and the bezel, at each side is an 'ear' which couples with a corresponding flange, the two parts are secured by lateral screws. A rubber seal sits between the bezel and case body and is thus compressed when subject to water pressure forming a perfect watertight seal. The reference 3700⁄1 was made in stainless steel, steel and gold, 18k yellow gold, 18k white gold and platinum.
