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Lot Essay
One of the most significant perpetual calendars in Patek Philippe's recent history, reference 3940 was introduced in 1985 and discontinued in 2007. The model is well-known for its subtle elegance and technical sophistication, and its reputation is further enhanced by the fact that Philippe Stern, the head of the company at the time, famously wore it every day. This endorsement speaks volumes about the model's ability to balance comfort, sophistication, and horological excellence.
The present example belongs to the sought-after second series. Research indicates that about 1,680 yellow gold examples of the second-series reference 3940 were made. Subtle but significant dial changes set this generation apart: the leap-year indicator now has a cross divider to improve legibility and visual structure, and the day and month sub-dials at three and nine o'clock have bevelled edges instead of the sunken registers of the first series. These improvements maintain the reference's signature discretion while giving the dial a slightly more architectural and modern appearance.
Reference 3940
Reference 3940 made its debut in the middle of the 1980s, long before the complete revival of mechanical watchmaking had taken hold. It was introduced alongside its sister model, the reference 3970 perpetual calendar chronograph. Thanks to the renowned Calibre 240 Q with its 22k gold micro-rotor, the watch was remarkably thin at just 9 mm thick, setting new benchmarks for elegance in complicated wristwatches.
The reference developed over the course of its more than 20 years of production through three distinct dial series and a few uncommon variants, solidifying the 3940's position as a pillar of Patek Philippe's perpetual calendar heritage and a standard for classic, wearable complexity.
The present example belongs to the sought-after second series. Research indicates that about 1,680 yellow gold examples of the second-series reference 3940 were made. Subtle but significant dial changes set this generation apart: the leap-year indicator now has a cross divider to improve legibility and visual structure, and the day and month sub-dials at three and nine o'clock have bevelled edges instead of the sunken registers of the first series. These improvements maintain the reference's signature discretion while giving the dial a slightly more architectural and modern appearance.
Reference 3940
Reference 3940 made its debut in the middle of the 1980s, long before the complete revival of mechanical watchmaking had taken hold. It was introduced alongside its sister model, the reference 3970 perpetual calendar chronograph. Thanks to the renowned Calibre 240 Q with its 22k gold micro-rotor, the watch was remarkably thin at just 9 mm thick, setting new benchmarks for elegance in complicated wristwatches.
The reference developed over the course of its more than 20 years of production through three distinct dial series and a few uncommon variants, solidifying the 3940's position as a pillar of Patek Philippe's perpetual calendar heritage and a standard for classic, wearable complexity.