873
Patek Philippe
Ref. 3800/1, Second Series
Nautilus
An extremely well-preserved and attractive yellow gold wristwatch with center seconds, date, champagne dial and bracelet
Full-Cataloguing
- Gorgeously aged case and bracelet with deep patina
- Dial is equally well-preserved, aged to a golden hue
- Early black date window
- Fresh to the market with Extract from the Archives confirming the dial
Released in 1981 alongside a major expansion of the manufacture's sports line, the Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3800 was produced in a wide array of metals and playful configurations. Its crowd-pleasing 37.5mm case diameter wears comfortably on any wrist while retaining all the iconic design charm of the original Nautilus reference 3700.
In production until 2006, the reference 3800 enjoyed an impressive 25-year run across four distinct series, each distinguished by subtle movement evolutions:
- First Series (until 1987): Powered by the cal. 335 SC, featuring a non-quickset date.
- Second Series (until 1992): Powered by the same calibre, upgraded with a quickset date function. (present watch)
- Third Series (until 1997): Fitted with the upgraded cal. 330-134.
- Fourth Series (until 2006): Powered by the final evolution, cal. 330-194.
The present timepiece is cased in yellow gold and preserved in excellent overall condition. Having been stored in a safe for a prolonged period, the case has developed a deep, gorgeous patina alongside sharp hallmarks, defined bevels and crisp edges throughout. As an early specimen, the watch features a rare golden dial confirmed by the Extract from the Archives and paired with a black date wheel—a subtle detail highly favored by collectors.
Patek Philippe
Swiss | 1839Since its founding in 1839, this famous Geneva-based firm has been surprising its clientele with superbly crafted timepieces fitted with watchmaking's most prestigious complications. Traditional and conservative designs are found across Patek Philippe's watches made throughout their history — the utmost in understated elegance.
Well-known for the Graves Supercomplication — a highly complicated pocket watch that was the world’s most complicated watch for 50 years — this family-owned brand has earned a reputation of excellence around the world. Patek's complicated vintage watches hold the highest number of world records for results achieved at auction compared with any other brand. For collectors, key models include the reference 1518, the world's first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph, and its successor, the reference 2499. Other famous models include perpetual calendars such as the ref. 1526, ref. 3448 and 3450, chronographs such as the reference 130, 530 and 1463, as well as reference 1436 and 1563 split seconds chronographs. Patek is also well-known for their classically styled, time-only "Calatrava" dress watches, and the "Nautilus," an iconic luxury sports watch first introduced in 1976 as the reference 3700 that is still in production today.