Geneva, May 08, 2022
LOT 480
Property of a Swiss collector
PATEK PHILIPPE, REF. 3971, ORIGINAL LATER OPALIN DORE DIAL, YELLOW GOLD
CHF 100,000 - 200,000
EUR 99,000 - 198,000 / USD 108,000 - 216,000 / HKD 850,000 - 1,690,000
Sold: CHF 150,000
A very fine and exceptional, manual wind, 18k yellow gold perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch with opalin dore dial and screw down sapphire crystal caseback.
| Grading System | |
|---|---|
Grade: |
|
Case: 2-8 |
Very good Slightly scratched |
Movement: 2* |
Very good Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense |
Dial: 2-07-22-01 |
Very good HANDS Replaced Later original HANDS Original |
Brand Patek Philippe, Switzerland
Reference 3971
Year Made in 1990, sold on July 12, 1990
Movement No. 875580
Case No. 2856568
Material 18k yellow gold
Bracelet Leather with an 18k yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle
Diameter 36 mm.
Caliber 27-70Q, 24 jewels
Signature Dial, Case and Movement
Notes
The 3971 remains one of the elusive and extremely rare perpetual calendar chronographs produced by Patek Philippe. Made in 2 distinct series, one with a clip on sapphire caseback, the second with a transparent screwback only, these were made in extremely small numbers, scholars talk about 300 examples made between the 2 series. This particular example is part of the second series with a transparent screwdown caseback and its extremely rare opalin dore dial and has the characteristic large gold hallmarks on the outer side of the lugs that are all crisp and deep.
Provenance
Antiquorum, November 13, 2011, lot 402.
Purchased at Antiquorum, this rare 3971 was originally born with an opalin-silver dial. During an overhaul the customer requested the watch to be fitted with the opalin doré dial which was installed on the watch (original dial no longer available). When it was first sold by us in 2011, the description stated that the watch came with a Patek Philippe letter confirming the substitution of the dial during a service on customer's request (no longer available).