Description
Inspiration
Rare First Edition 1979 Patek Philippe Nautilus Watch 3700/1, steel
All original, mint, unpolished,
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 1979
Cork Box, Paper, 2 archives, Sotheby's auction details
This is the best example of a mint unpolished all original Nautilus in the world and happens to be "The Nautilus" that set the record price at auction at Sotheby's in May 2019. So it has a very rich provenance.
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.
The first edition Patek Philippe Nautilus + Rolex Newman Dial Daytona are the two most coveted watches on the planet.
The first edition Nautilus was designed by the most important watch designer of our era, Gerald Genta. After receiving accolades for his designing what became the first luxury sports watch for Audemars Piguet-The Royal Oak, Genta became the most sought after watch designer.
Legend has it, that while sitting at a restaurant bar having dinner, during the 1974 Basel Watch Fair, in walked the Stern family (the owners of Patek), who sat down to dinner. Genta grabbed a bar napkin and pen and sketched what was to become the most iconic luxury sports watch of all time-The Patek Philippe Nautilus. The unusual case was inspired by a ship's porthole, with a rounded octagonal bezel. Here is your chance to own a piece of history with this most perfect example that exists on the planet.