A RARE AND COLLECTABLE PATEK PHILIPPE AUTOMATIC BRACELET WATCH WITH A WHITE GOLD DIAMOND-SET SIGMA DIAL AND WHITE GOLD HANDS. WITH PAPERWORK.

Model: Nautilus
Date: 25^th September 1995, manufactured in 1994
Case reference: 3800/1A-012
Movement: Signed, automatic, Cal 335 SC, No.1.93X.XXX
Dial: Signed, night blue ribbed Sigma dial, 18k white gold diamond-set hour markers, 18k white gold stick hands with luminous insert, 18k white gold centre seconds hand, date aperture at the three o’clock position for a white calendar disk with black Arabic numerals
Case: Signed, stainless steel, snap-on back, No. 2.97X.XXX (never been polished)
Bracelet: Signed, stainless steel,
Size: 37.5mm
Accompaniments: Patek Philippe service pouch and extract from the company Archives, further paperwork, and the invoice for the last service at Patek Philippe London in May 2018, plus extra bracelet links

"Sigma" dials started to be used from the early 1970s, the term referring to dials with indexes and hands made of solid gold, those dials being fitted to stainless steel or gold-cased watch models. Such dials are easily recognized by the Greek sigma letters around the "Swiss" indication at the six o'clock position. However, only watchmakers who belonged to APROIR (L'Association pour la promotion Industrielle de l'Or) were allowed to use these Sigma letters on their dials.

The reference 3800 here refers to the watch diameter of 38mm, and this model was launched in the early 1980s, as a scaled-down version of the famous 3700 - the “Jumbo” - featuring an integrated water-tight “porthole” case designed by Gérald Genta (1931 – 2011), renowned Swiss watch designer and artist.

Patek Philippe Nautilus watches made of stainless steel with a diamond- set Sigma dial are extremely rare as most of their Nautilus watches were made of gold or platinum, making our watch a piece for collectors with only around 15 examples of this watch having appeared at auction to date.