The year 1989 was monumental for Patek Philippe, marking the manufacturer’s 150th anniversary and reflecting its commitment to heritage and continuity. One notable anniversary limited edition timepiece is the reference 3969, which pays sincere homage to the tonneau designs of the late 1920s. This model also represents the Stern family’s first interpretation of the jump hour complication since acquiring the company in 1932. The movement is a manual-wind caliber 215 HG, with "HG" denoting the jump hour feature.

With only 450 examples produced in 18K pink gold and 50 in platinum, the reference 3969 provides collectors with access to a rare style within Patek Philippe’s catalog. The jumping hours complication has gained increasing appreciation among collectors for its distinctive look, often sparking conversations among friends and fellow enthusiasts.

Featuring a monobloc case construction, this particular example is very well-preserved and comes with its Certificate of Origin retailed by Gübelin S.A., along with an attestation and Geneva seal certificate. The caseback displays crisp engraving, which reads "Patek Philippe Genève - 150th Anniversaire - 1839 - 1989", alongside the movement number. Notably, the tooling used to manufacture this reference has been discarded, ensuring that Patek Philippe will never replicate this design again.