The present Nautilus reference 3700/11 is an attractive example of Patek Philippe’s early golden-era sports watchmaking. Under the present ownership, the dial was replaced with the champagne-coloured example it bears today. The warm tone of the dial beautifully complements the stainless steel and yellow gold case and bracelet, resulting in the elegant appearance in which the timepiece is offered today.

The present timepiece belongs to the rare second generation of the reference 3700. Introduced following Patek Philippe’s acquisition of Ateliers Réunis in 1980, reference 3700/11 continued the celebrated design of the original ‘Jumbo’ Nautilus while introducing a slimmer bracelet. According to research, approximately 200 examples of reference 3700/11 were produced in stainless steel and yellow gold, making it a particularly rare iteration of Patek Philippe’s iconic sports watch.

The water-resistant Nautilus ref. 3700
On 23 April 1976, the patent for the original Nautilus reference 3700/1 case design was registered. Ingeniously constructed from two principal sections, the main case body and the bezel, it is secured laterally by screws concealed within the characteristic ‘ears’ of the case. A rubber gasket compressed between the bezel and mid-case ensures its water resistance, a technical feature fundamental to the sporting character of the original Nautilus.

For the first generation, Patek Philippe entrusted Favre-Perret SA of Le Crêt-du-Locle with the production of the cases. Following the acquisition of Ateliers Réunis in 1980, Patek Philippe brought case production ‘in-house’ at Ateliers Réunis and the Nautilus reference was changed to 3700/11. Distinguished notably by its slimmer bracelet, the second generation retained the essential architecture and proportions that had made the original Nautilus so revolutionary. According to research, approximately 200 examples of reference 3700/11 were made in stainless steel and yellow gold.

The Movement - Caliber 28-255 C
At the heart of reference 3700 is the celebrated calibre 28-255 C, widely regarded as one of the finest automatic movements of its era. Based on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s revolutionary calibre 920 of 1967, whose development was supported by Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin, it creates a fascinating mechanical connection between several of the great integrated-bracelet sports watches of the period. Audemars Piguet adapted the movement as its celebrated calibre 2120, famously used in the Royal Oak, while Vacheron Constantin employed its own version as calibre 1120.

Measuring only 3.15 mm in thickness, Patek Philippe’s calibre 28-255 C was ideally suited to the remarkably slender profile of the Nautilus. It features a free-sprung Gyromax balance and an ingenious automatic winding system incorporating a beryllium rotor ring with a 21-carat gold rim, supported around its periphery by ruby rollers. Together, these sophisticated technical solutions allowed Patek Philippe to combine the robust character of a sports watch with the mechanical refinement and elegant proportions for which the manufacture was renowned.