Patek Philippe Nautilus ref 3700-01A
Rare First Edition 1979 Patek Philippe Nautilus Watch 3700/1, steel
All original, near mint, unpolished case and braceletÂ
Size 42mm by 7.66mm thin
Perfect original Blue/Gray Sigma Dial with accent over second “e” in “Genève”
Original large steel large bracelet with 18mm wide clasp has no stretch and is unpolished
Circa late 1979’s Archive Ordered
Patek Leather Box, Paper, Archive Pending and Guaranteed
This is the 2nd best example of a mint unpolished all original Nautilus in the world 2nd only to our other one that set the record price at auction at Sotheby’s in May 2019.
Patek produced roughly 2600 of the First Edition Nautilus 3700-01A, from 1976-1979. Patek relied on Favre-Perret for each case and Stern Freres for each dial. The ultra thin self-winding Cal. 28-255 C, produced by Jaeger LeCoultre still remains the thinnest movement ever produced with a center rotor. The Second Edition, totaling an additional 900 units, which is less collectible, was released in 1980. The second edition case was now produced by Patek’s in-house Ateliers Reunis workshop and hence changed the case number to 3700/11. The bracelet was thinner and clasp width was reduced from 18mm to 16mm.
The trademark original dial is textured with horizontal grooves and kept simple with Sigma stick markers (18kt white gold) and simple text at 12 o’clock with “Genève” with accent on the second “e” under Patek Philippe.
Most dials bled through exposing the brass under plate due to a defect in the original lacquer and were often changed to a non accent “Geneve”. Our dial is original and in mint condition as is the entire watch.
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