White Hot Discovery: An Extremely Rare Patek Philippe Reference 3450 in White Gold

Phillips presents this exceptionally rare and highly important white gold reference 3450 with original certificate and fitted presentation box. This watch was last seen on the market in 1993 in New York. Originally purchased at the Patek Philippe salon in Geneva, the watch was manufactured in 1985 and remains in remarkably sharp, crisp condition with two extremely sharp hallmarks to the side of the case. The case retains its original factory proportions, faceted lugs, smooth bezel with very crisp edges. The dial is in an immaculate state of preservation with no discernible flaws. Enhancing its incredible rarity is the presence of the certificate of origin, a rarity in itself for any complicated Patek Philippe wristwatch.

The reference 3450 was first introduced to the market in 1981 and was a successor of the reference 3448. The 3450 differs from the 3448 by the modfied leap year indication at 4 o’clock on the dial. The first generation was fitted with a simple red disc and Arabic numerals, the second with Roman indication. A total of 244 examples of the reference 3450 were made, most of which in yellow gold cases.

Patek Philippe. An extremely rare and highly important white gold perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, leap year indicator, original certificate and fitted presentation box.

There exist an exception to the production of the 3450 – a microscopic quantity of cases other than yellow gold were produced. In fact, only two other case metals of the reference 3450 are known to exist and they are both cased in white gold. According to scholarship, they include this watch, numbered 1’119’799 and 1’119’729, which was sold at auction in New York, October 1989.

Wristwatches by Patek Philippe with calendar and perpetual calendar indication have been in production since the 1920s but for half a century never featured a leap year indication. The first known Patek Philippe wristwatch that did feature this leap year indication was a reference 3448 made in 1970 but then later upgraded following a request of a senior director at the firm at 1975. The second known watch with this indication for leap year was a unique reference 3563 that was manufactured in 1981 and is now on view in the Patek Philippe Museum.

If ever one was looking for the perfect example of a Patek Philippe reference 3450, look no further.

This white gold reference 3450 is not only extremely rare in terms of its case metal and function but also in regards to its history and condition. Consequently the watch presents itself in an incredibly beautiful, crisp and as close to factory finish as possible. The manufacture name, mechanical complexity, rarity, condition and provenance makes it one of the most important, beautiful, desirable and valuable discoveries to the world of Patek Philippe watch collecting.

Reference 3450 was first introduced to the market in 1981, with a slight upgrade in the movement from its beloved predecessor, reference 3448. Ultimately, both references were discontinued in 1985 after the launch of the reference 3940. The basis for the caliber 27-460 QB movement is Patek Philippe’s 27-460 automatic movement first introduced in 1962. The upgrade in the movement, Quantiem Bissextile, includes the leap year function.