Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Feb 26, 2012

LOT 67

PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 3970 PINK GOLD Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 3046850, Ref. 3970ER. Made in 2003. Very fine and important, water-resistant, 18K pink gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, moon phases, leap year, 24-hour indication and an 18K pink gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by the original fitted box.

HKD 480,000 - 600,000

USD 60,000 - 80,000 / EUR 48,000 - 60,000

Sold: HKD 800,000

C. Three-body, solid, polished, concave bezel, fl uted lugs, transparent screwed-down case back, sapphire crystals. D. Silvered with applied pink gold faceted baton and pyramidal indexes, subsidiary dials for the seconds and the 30-minute register, the days of the month, the 24 hours and the leap year, aperture for the days of the week, the months and the moon phases, outer 1/5 seconds/minute divisions. White gold baton hands. M. Cal. CH 27-70/155 Q, stamped with the Seal of Geneva quality mark, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 24 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 8 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating free-sprung Breguet balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 36 mm. Thickness 13 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 1

As new
Movement: 1*

As new

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 1-01

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

Available from 1986 until 2005 the Patek Philippe Ref.3970 was made in approximately 4000 units, predominately in yellow gold. The reference shared the movement Calibre 27-70 with the 3971 using numbers 875,000 until approximately 877,000. With the introduction of the ref.5020 in 1994 a new movement sequence was started at 304,5000 and used in the 5020, 3970 and 3990 until approximately 304,7500 when the model was replaced by the 5970. The movement sequence continued unchanged while used in the 5970 until approximately 305,0000 with the introduction of the 5970P in 2009, when a new sequence commencing at 392,1000 was started. Although popular belief indicates the Ref.3970 in platinum is the rarest metal for the reference, study of examples that have appeared at auction would indicate white gold is the rarest metal, followed by rose gold, platinum and then yellow gold.