Important Modern and Vintage Timepieces

Hong Kong, Jun 23, 2012

LOT 409

PATEK PHILIPPE REF. 3971 SECOND GENERATION WHITE GOLD Patek Philippe, Genève, movement No. 875347, case No. 2857984 Ref. 3971E. Made circa 1990. Very fine and important, water-resistant, 18K white gold wristwatch with round button chronograph, register, perpetual calendar, moon phases, leap year indication, 24-hour indication and an 18K white gold Patek Philippe buckle. Accompanied by Extract from the Archives.

HKD 700,000 - 900,000

USD 90,000 - 115,000 / EUR 70,000 - 85,000

C. Two-body, solid, polished and brushed, concave bezel, fl uted lugs, transparent screwdown case back, sapphire crystals. D. Matte silver with applied white gold baton 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 and the months in English and the moon phases. White gold feuille hands. M. Cal. CH 27-70 Q, stamped with the Seal of Geneva Quality Mark, rhodium-plated, fausses cotes decoration, 24 jewels, straight-line lever escapement, free-sprung Gyromax balance adjusted to heat, cold, isochronism and 8 positions, shock absorber, self-compensating Breguet balance spring. Dial, case and movement signed. Diam. 36 mm. Thickness 13 mm.


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Grading System
Grade:
Case: 3-8

Good

Slightly scratched
Movement: 2*

Very good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 2-01

Very good

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. Usually found in yellow gold and very rarely in pink gold (Antiquorum has only offered 5 examples in pink over the last 15 years), the white gold version is undoubtedtly the rarest of all, and it is the fi rst time ever that a white gold version is being offered at auction.