Important Modern & Vintage Timepieces

Geneva, May 13, 2012

LOT 464

PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 3971, SAPPHIRE SNAP-BACK CASE, YELLOW GOLD Patek Philippe, Genève, No. 875171, case No. 2824161, Ref. 3971. Made in 1988, sold on June 23rd 1988. Very fine and rare, astronomic, 18K yellow gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, registers, perpetual calendar, moon phases and an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by the Extract of the Archives.

CHF 80,000 - 120,000

USD 90,000 - 130,000 / EUR 65,000 - 100,000

Sold: CHF 92,500

C. Two-body, solid, polished, concave bezel, fl uted lugs, snap-back transparent case back, sapphire crystals. D. Matte silver with applied yellow gold baton indexes, outer minute/seconds and 1/5th seconds divisions, subsidiary dials for the seconds, the 24 hours and the 30 minute register, the leap year and the days of the month, apertures for the days of the week, the months and the moon phases. Yellow gold feuille hands. M. Cal. 27-70 Q, stamped with the Seal of Geneva quality mark, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 24 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, Gyromax balance adjusted for heat, cold, isochronism and 8 positions, shock absorber, selfcompensating free-sprung Breguet balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 36 mm. Thickness 13 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3

Good
Movement: 2*

Very good

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

As new

HANDS Original

Notes

In 1986 and 1987, Patek Philippe released reference 3971 and 3970 as the immediate successors of the legendary model, reference 2499 (the last incarnation being reference 2499/100). For these fi rst two years of production they were offered with the rare and sought-after snap-on back. Reference 3971 was produced with a sapphire display back while reference 3970 was produced with a solid case back. The dials were also different than those of the later series with the sunk sub-dials of the chronograph being in a different darker beige shade. This example combines the two rarest factors in that that not only does it have a transparent caseback (like the 3971 always had) but also combined with the rare snap-back. It is the fi rst time that such a watch has appeared on the market and represents a unique opportunity to complete a 3970/3971 collection.