One of the earliest Nautilus watches ever produced, the present example was sold on August 25, 1977: just one year after the introduction of the model. Not only it is offered with its original Certificate and box, but also with its original sale invoice - a detail hardly ever found in watches nearly half a century old which will thrill the most demanding of collectors.

The result of a collaboration between Patek Philippe and designer Gérald Genta, the Nautilus' unique appearance was inspired by maritime portholes and named for Captain Nemo's submarine, the Nautilus, in Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Much as the fictional nautical vessel was described as "a masterpiece containing masterpieces," so does the Nautilus wristwatch possess a numerous variety of artistic cues. The reference 3700 embodies every aspect of Patek Philippe's avant-garde design philosophy of the 1970s, from the bold yet elegant curves, to the contrasting finish of the case, and even the delicate grooves of the dial culminating in a sublimely robust and elegant wristwatch. Its production is officially divided by Patek Philippe themselves into two distinct Series, with different reference numbers. The earliest specimens, such as the present one, belong to reference 3700/1 and present a larger, more robust bracelet tapering to 16mm. Later examples (from the early 1980s on) are dubbed 3700/11 and feature a 14mm tapering.