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Lot Essay
Introduced in 1986, reference 3970 ushered in a new generation of perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatches for Patek Philippe. It succeeded the legendary reference 2499, which had been produced across four series between 1951 and 1985, and represented an important technical evolution for the manufacture. After more than five decades of using Valjoux-based movements for its perpetual calendar chronographs, Patek Philippe adopted a Lemania-based ébauche, extensively modified, finished and assembled to the manufacture’s exacting standards.
The first series of reference 3970, beginning with movement no. 875’000, was produced in approximately 100 examples and fitted with a solid snap-on caseback. The second series saw the introduction of a solid screw-down caseback and the designation reference 3970E, the ‘E’ standing for étanche, or waterproof.
Launched in 1994, the fourth series, to which the present watch belongs, was fitted with a solid screw-down caseback and additionally supplied with a sapphire crystal display back, allowing the finely finished movement to be admired. As with the third series, its most immediately recognisable differences from the earlier watches are found on the dial, where the leaf-shaped hands were replaced by baton hands accompanied by matching pointed and faceted hour markers.
An estimated 2,000 examples of the fourth series were produced across all metals. Reference 3970 remained in production until 2004, when it was succeeded by reference 5970.
Today, reference 3970 is regarded as a modern classic, combining the traditional proportions and balanced design of Patek Philippe’s historic perpetual calendar chronographs with a new generation of mechanical sophistication. Its importance within the manufacture’s lineage, together with its elegant 36 mm proportions and celebrated movement, has established it as an essential reference for collectors of complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches.
The first series of reference 3970, beginning with movement no. 875’000, was produced in approximately 100 examples and fitted with a solid snap-on caseback. The second series saw the introduction of a solid screw-down caseback and the designation reference 3970E, the ‘E’ standing for étanche, or waterproof.
Launched in 1994, the fourth series, to which the present watch belongs, was fitted with a solid screw-down caseback and additionally supplied with a sapphire crystal display back, allowing the finely finished movement to be admired. As with the third series, its most immediately recognisable differences from the earlier watches are found on the dial, where the leaf-shaped hands were replaced by baton hands accompanied by matching pointed and faceted hour markers.
An estimated 2,000 examples of the fourth series were produced across all metals. Reference 3970 remained in production until 2004, when it was succeeded by reference 5970.
Today, reference 3970 is regarded as a modern classic, combining the traditional proportions and balanced design of Patek Philippe’s historic perpetual calendar chronographs with a new generation of mechanical sophistication. Its importance within the manufacture’s lineage, together with its elegant 36 mm proportions and celebrated movement, has established it as an essential reference for collectors of complicated Patek Philippe wristwatches.