









1054
Patek Philippe
Ref. 3970E, Second Series
A very fine, highly rare and fresh-to-the-market yellow gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with English calendar, moon phases, leap year and 24-hour indication
- Estimate
- HK$480,000 - 960,000€53,100 - 106,000$61,500 - 123,000
HK$1,524,000
Lot Details
- Manufacturer
- Patek Philippe
- Year
- 1989
- Reference No
- 3970E, Second Series
- Movement No
- 875’401
- Case No
- 2’856’538
- Material
- 18K yellow gold
- Calibre
- Manual, cal. CH27-70Q, 24 jewels
- Bracelet/Strap
- Leather
- Clasp/Buckle
- 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe pin buckle
- Dimensions
- 36mm diameter
- Signed
- Case, dial, movement and buckle signed
- Accessories
- Accompanied by Patek Philippe instruction manual, product literature and leather folio. Further delivered with Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confirming the production of the present timepiece in 1989 and its subsequent sale date on 4 September 1989.
Specialist
Full-Cataloguing
Catalogue Essay
The reference was produced in yellow gold, pink gold, white gold and platinum across a total of four series with production spanning over 19 years. It is estimated that throughout its course of production, over 4,000 examples of the reference were produced. The 2nd series produced between 1987–1990, showing some overlap with the first series. It features a solid screw back caseback “E – Etanche”, feuille hands and baton indexes. Produced in all four case materials with an estimated 650 examples produced across all metals, with 150-200 of those being reference ref. 3971.
The present second-series example in yellow gold features a sapphire screw-down case back, designating it as ref. 3970E, with “E” standing for étanche, the French term for waterproof. Notably, it bears prominent and crisp “big hallmarks”, including the “750” gold purity mark and Atelier Réunis casemaker’s key number 28, stamped clearly on the outside of the lug. The “big hallmarks” is particularly significant, as it only began appearing midway through the second series production. The condition of the present timepiece is very well-preserved, displaying a thin layer of attractive patina on the caseband and bezel.
The present second-series example in yellow gold features a sapphire screw-down case back, designating it as ref. 3970E, with “E” standing for étanche, the French term for waterproof. Notably, it bears prominent and crisp “big hallmarks”, including the “750” gold purity mark and Atelier Réunis casemaker’s key number 28, stamped clearly on the outside of the lug. The “big hallmarks” is particularly significant, as it only began appearing midway through the second series production. The condition of the present timepiece is very well-preserved, displaying a thin layer of attractive patina on the caseband and bezel.
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.
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