Patek Philippe 3800/1P, Nautilus, Platinum

Name: 3800/1P | Nautilus | Platinum
Brand: Patek Philippe
SKU: CKBPT_P1644
Price: 110000.00 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

A rarely seen platinum example of the Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3800/1P-010*, this piece is an intriguing twist on your typical luxury sportswatch. The piece has a few especially desirable features, in addition to the entirely platinum case, such as the classic deep blue ridged dial that is correct to the watch, alongside a matching dark date disc.

Worth Reading

Platinum is a rare metal to find on any Patek Philippe sports watch model, as not many were manufactured. Notably, every inch of the case is in platinum, from the case to the bracelet and even the bracelet pins themselves. The use of this metal invokes a truly luxurious impression that might seem jarring for a typical sportswatch, but on the reference 3800, it has an effortless presence on the wrist that does not feel at odds with the style of the watch.

In many ways, the reference 3800 is a scaled-down version of the original reference 3700, retaining many of the same features, from the ridged dial to the overall proportions. Finding such a classic version of the dial in a platinum case is equally as rare, and even more so that this style of dial is correct to the watch, as demonstrated by the Extract from the Archives. Furthermore, rather than the typical four hallmarks on the caseback found on other examples of this reference, there are two hallmarks found on this watch.

The blue ridged dial displays horizontal grooves with a deep blue and grey colouration. The applied hour markers are tritium-filled, with "dot" outer-minute divisions, and a date aperture at 3 o’clock. The latter features the original, black date disc, which blends effortlessly into the rest of the dial, also sets this example apart. It is speculated that the darker date discs used are part of earlier production runs, suggesting that this watch is an early example of the piece.

With this example, the index-markers and hands are manufactured from white gold, as indicated by the "σ · SWISS · σ" signature at the bottom of the dial. Three types of signatures exist for the reference: “σ SWISS σ", "σ · SWISS · σ" and “SWISS”. This is to signify the use of gold on the dial, in the form of applied markers. It is safe to say that any watch produced prior to 1995 which has gold on the dial – that is to say all ridged dials with applied indexes – should feature one of the two sigma signatures.

As a result of Patek Philippe's decision to develop its own in-house, ultra-slim movement, the reference 3800 features an updated calibre 335 S C (for “seconde centrale” or “central second”), replacing the previous calibre 28-255C movement. The calibre 335 S C features 29 jewels, a straight-line lever escapement, monometallic balance; adjusted to cold, heat, isochronism, and 5 positions, a self-compensating flat balance spring and shock absorber mechanism. Furthermore, the solid-gold rotor is finished in classic Patek Philippe style, with circular Geneva stripes.

Specifications

Closer look

Brand:	Patek Philippe
Model:	Nautilus ref. 3800/1P-010
Movement:	automatic calibre 335 SC
Functions:	date, hours, minutes, seconds
Features:	blue ribbed dial, black date disc
Case material:	platinum
Case diameter:	37.5mm
Crystal:	sapphire front
Bracelet:	Patek Philippe platinum bracelet (21 links of which 7 are removable), Patek Philippe platinum butterfly clasp
Lug width:	-
Year:	1984 (manufactured)
Accompanying materials:	Patek Philippe leather box, Patek Philippe service box, Extract from the Archives, Patek Philippe service letter, advertising/branding material

Condition

This Patek Philippe Nautilus is in very good condition throughout. The watch has remained exceptionally well preserved following a service with Patek Phillipe in December 2019. The platinum case and bracelet show little signs of wear, most notably light grazing to the bracelet at 12 o'clock, only noticeable when viewed through a loupe. The dial is in excellent condition without any signs of imperfection. The hour markers have aged to an attractive warm hue, with the hands slightly lighter in tone. On the caseback and clasp, the hallmarks and engravings are crisp and well defined.

During the most recent service at Patek Philippe in London a platinum clasp, platinum link, platinum bracelet pins, crown and crystal glass have been supplied and fitted.

Warranty

The watch comes with a two-year, limited warranty from A Collected Man, alongside a lifetime guarantee of authenticity.

SETTING THE SCENE

From the early 1980s onwards, the Nautilus collection was built on three fundamental pillars: the original 3700, the mid-size 3800 and the quartz-powered 4700. The latter was the first evolution of the Nautilus to be introduced, a year before the 3800. Measuring 27mm in diameter and powered by a quartz movement, it was targeted at women. Meanwhile, the 3800 was meant to bring the Nautilus design penned by Gérald Genta to a wider audience, who at the time preferred more modestly sized pieces. Available in a much wider range of metals and dial configurations than the other two models, it became the anchor of the Nautilus collection for quite a few years. John Nagayama, a veteran watch dealer from Japan, who has had the opportunity to handle some of the rarest 3800 examples, speculates, “They wanted to sell the reference to younger generations, as a sports and casual watch.”

At the turn of the millennium, after a near two-decade run, the reference was discontinued. The steel example is known to appear in catalogues until 2006, with the yellow gold appearing as late as 2007, in parallel to the successor reference, the 5800. From 2008 onwards, it disappeared completely from official catalogues. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t find one that was sold much later, since not all authorised dealers would have sold out of their watches immediately.

What is certain is that the discontinuation of the reference marked the end of one of the first reinterpretations of the original Nautilus design. First commercialised as a more appealing – and expensive – alternative to the Nautilus 3700, the mid-size 3800 has come to exist in all sorts of intriguing configurations over the years. In more recent times, as it has been increasingly discovered by collectors, this appreciation has grown.