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Lot Essay
A must-have for the discerning collector of complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches, the present pink gold watch is among the rarest and most exclusive versions of the modern yet classic reference 3970 perpetual calendar chronograph.
Thought to be a unique example, it is instantly distinguishable by its Breguet numeral dial as a very special piece indeed. The dial is confirmed by both the original Certificate of Origin and the Extract from the Archives. Reference 3970 was almost always fitted with a dial featuring either applied gold baton indexes or standard style Arabic applied gold numerals. Research shows that the Breguet numeral dial was only used for the reference 3970 on the present watch and one other known example which features a tachymeter scale and narrower hour markers circle. The only other 3970s ever to be fitted with a Breguet dial was a small re-issue series of 5 pieces made especially for the London Patek Philippe Grand Exhibition in 2015.
It is also significant to note that the present watch was manufactured in 2006, two years after the official end of production. It is therefore very likely that it was a special order piece made for a very important client.
In 1986, Patek Philippe launched a new generation of the perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch, designated reference 3970, replacing the hugely successful reference 2499 in production in four different series from 1951 to 1985. The main difference in the movement was the arrival of the new Lemania based ébauche which replaced the Valjoux movement used for the previous 50 years.
Starting with movement number 875'000, the first series of reference 3970 was produced with a solid snap on back, comprising approximately 100 examples. The second series introduced a solid screw back, designated reference 3970E (E for étanche, French for waterproof). A small number of watches from both series were also available with a sapphire crystal back, designated reference 3971E.
In 1989, a third series of ref. 3970E was launched, fitted with a solid screw back as well as an additional sapphire crystal display screw back. Reference 3970E was discontinued in 2004 and replaced by reference 5970.
Thought to be a unique example, it is instantly distinguishable by its Breguet numeral dial as a very special piece indeed. The dial is confirmed by both the original Certificate of Origin and the Extract from the Archives. Reference 3970 was almost always fitted with a dial featuring either applied gold baton indexes or standard style Arabic applied gold numerals. Research shows that the Breguet numeral dial was only used for the reference 3970 on the present watch and one other known example which features a tachymeter scale and narrower hour markers circle. The only other 3970s ever to be fitted with a Breguet dial was a small re-issue series of 5 pieces made especially for the London Patek Philippe Grand Exhibition in 2015.
It is also significant to note that the present watch was manufactured in 2006, two years after the official end of production. It is therefore very likely that it was a special order piece made for a very important client.
In 1986, Patek Philippe launched a new generation of the perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch, designated reference 3970, replacing the hugely successful reference 2499 in production in four different series from 1951 to 1985. The main difference in the movement was the arrival of the new Lemania based ébauche which replaced the Valjoux movement used for the previous 50 years.
Starting with movement number 875'000, the first series of reference 3970 was produced with a solid snap on back, comprising approximately 100 examples. The second series introduced a solid screw back, designated reference 3970E (E for étanche, French for waterproof). A small number of watches from both series were also available with a sapphire crystal back, designated reference 3971E.
In 1989, a third series of ref. 3970E was launched, fitted with a solid screw back as well as an additional sapphire crystal display screw back. Reference 3970E was discontinued in 2004 and replaced by reference 5970.