Manufacturer: Patek Philippe Year: 1999 Reference No: 3800/1 Movement No: 3'020'737 Case No: 2'990'810 Model Name: Nautilus Material: Platinum Calibre: Automatic, cal. 330/194, 30 jewels Bracelet/Strap: Platinum Patek Philippe bracelet max length 190mm Clasp/Buckle: Platinum folding clasp Dimensions: 37.5mm Diameter Signed: Case, dial, movement and bracelet signed Accessories: Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch with anthracite grey dial and white markers in 1999 and its subsequent sale on March 1, 1999.
Catalogue Essay
There are epiphanous and transcendental moments when a watch we have never seen or suspected is placed before us and its sheer beauty, presence and vibrancy provides a sense of exhilaration. The present Nautilus in platinum is one of these timepieces.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3800, launched in the early 1980s, was the first evolution of the original Nautilus reference 3700 presented just a few years earlier. Whereas the original reference 3700 was fiercely masculine, reference 3800 showed more restraint with a smaller diameter of 37.5 millimeters.
While smaller in size, the Nautilus reference 3800 maintained all the design cues of its older brother, with its porthole inspired case and integrated metal bracelet. The major change being the addition of a seconds hand indicating a mechanical evolution with the adoption of the Patek Philippe caliber 335 SC and variants.
The Nautilus being considered a more casual offering from Patek Philippe, it was predominantly created in steel with a few exceptions, in gold, or in steel and gold. However, versions in platinum, like the present model are extremely rare.
Whereas one of the signature elements of the Nautilus – both vintage or modern - is the baton indexes and the immediately recognizable dial with embossed horizontal lines, the present piece comes with an extremely rare, vividly modern, anthracite grey dial as confrmed by the Extract from the Archives. A dial presented in the Patek Philippe brochure of 1986 but in a steel/gold reference 3800.
It is interesting to note that since the launch of the reference 3800, over 35 years ago, a version in a platinum case and this dial combination has never before appeared on the international auction market. It was until now unknown to scholars leading us to believe that the present platinum Nautilus could most probably be a unique piece.
Fresh to the market and in excellent condition this reference 3800 offers the savvy collector the once in a lifetime opportunity to own a most probably unique timepiece previously unknown to the collector market and that will certainly remain in a private collection for the next couple of decades before it comes back to the market…if ever.
Since 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.