The Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1A is the original steel Nautilus, introduced in 1976 and discontinued in 1990. Its defining features are a large, slim porthole-inspired case, an integrated steel bracelet and a horizontally embossed dial. For anyone considering a vintage example, its historical specifications are only a starting point: condition, originality and documentation have to be assessed watch by watch.
What is the Nautilus 3700/1A?
The 3700/1A was Patek Philippe’s first steel Nautilus. The company dates its presentation to 1976 and lists it as discontinued in 1990. Its arrival challenged the era’s preference for slender gold watches with a conspicuously large steel sports watch. Patek Philippe’s historical account gives the original model a water-resistance rating of 120 metres; that figure describes the watch as specified at the time, not the present-day capability of an individual vintage watch. Patek Philippe’s 2016 anniversary account and its historical chronology document the model’s origins and timeline.
The name refers both to the chambered shell of the nautilus and to Captain Nemo’s submarine in Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
How the original Nautilus is designed
Patek Philippe describes the case as a two-part construction with lateral extensions at 3 and 9 o’clock that resemble hinges. Those extensions evoke the locking mechanisms of ocean-liner portholes. The bezel is octagonal, with gently curved sides and rounded corners; its satin-finished top contrasts with polished bevels. The steel bracelet carries a similar matte-and-polished finish into the integrated design.
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The dial is described as blue-tinted charcoal with horizontal embossing, luminous baton hour markers and luminous hands. That combination of sporty construction and refined finishing was central to the watch’s original proposition. Period advertising reproduced by Patek Philippe put it this way: “It goes with a wetsuit as well as with a tuxedo.” The line is historical advertising, not a current assurance that an old example is safe to wear in water.
Movement and dimensions
A Phillips catalogue for a specific 1977 3700/1A records a 42 mm case diameter and an automatic calibre 28-255C with 36 jewels. Its accompanying Extract from the Archives confirmed that example’s production in 1977 and sale on 30 August 1977. These are catalogue details for that documented lot, not a guarantee that every 3700/1A has the same measured dimensions or documentation. Phillips’ catalogue entry provides the lot-specific record.
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Phillips describes the 28-255 as based on Jaeger-LeCoultre’s JLC 920 and gives the base movement’s thickness as 3.05 mm. That technical explanation is Phillips’ account; the Patek Philippe historical materials cited here do not provide the same movement details. Phillips’ Nautilus catalogue essay discusses the movement and bracelet variants.
3700/01 and 3700/11: the bracelet difference
Phillips distinguishes two bracelet configurations and gives approximate production periods. The catalogue’s account is a useful point of comparison when inspecting an example, but it does not by itself establish that a watch or any of its components is authentic or original.
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| Catalogue designation | Bracelet description | Approximate period in Phillips’ account |
|---|---|---|
| 3700/01 | Straight bracelet | 1976 to about 1981 |
| 3700/11 | Tapered bracelet | 1981 to 1990 |
What to check when considering a vintage example
A catalogue listing can document one watch’s reference, movement, accessories and papers, but it cannot establish the state or value of another. Have the individual watch assessed by a qualified specialist, with attention to:
- Reference and serial information: compare the watch with its accompanying documentation and seek appropriate verification.
- Dial: inspect condition and originality. Christie’s notes variation in the aging of dial varnish on early examples, but that historical observation does not authenticate a particular dial. Christie’s catalogue entry describes one example and its archive extract.
- Case and finishing: assess the condition of the case, bezel and their contrasting finishes on the specific watch.
- Bracelet and components: check the bracelet configuration and whether components are consistent with the documented watch.
- Service history and accessories: establish what is known about servicing and what papers or other items accompany the watch.
- Water resistance: do not rely on the original 120-metre rating as a present-day safe-to-wear rating. Inspection and appropriate testing would be needed to establish the condition of an individual watch.
How to interpret auction records and past prices
Phillips reports that one 1977 3700/1A sold for $82,550 at its New York Watch Auction XI, lot 42, and records the accompanying Extract from the Archives. That is a historical result for one specific lot, not a current asking price, market average, valuation or forecast. Christie’s documents a different individual 3700/1 whose movement was manufactured in 1973 and whose watch was completed and sold in 1977, according to its accompanying archive extract. Such records illustrate why production, movement dates and sale dates should be treated as distinct facts about a particular watch.
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