There’s one complication combination to rule ‘em all. The perpetual calendar chronograph and this black dial platinum Patek 3970 is one of the most beautiful ones ever made.

The reference 3970 was introduced in 1986 as the successor to the legendary and ultra-collectible reference 2499 perpetual calendar chronograph. This ref. 3970EP (E = étanche, which means waterproof in French; P = platinum) is a fourth-series execution dating back to 1999. The watch features a 36 mm 950 platinum case with lovely pump pushers and a sapphire see-through case back.

The beautiful glossy black dial sports pointed stick indexes and matching pointed stick hands. Two apertures at the 12 o’clock position reveal the day and month mechanism. The dial features three sub-dials. The recessed sub-dial at the 9 o’clock position displays a running seconds as well as a 24-hour hand while the recessed sub-dial at the 3-hour position incorporates a 30-minute chronograph counter and a leap year indicator. Finally on the lower sub-dial we find a charming moon phase indicator, which is surrounded by a date complication.

The watch comes on a black alligator leather strap, supplied with an original Patek buckle, and an extract of the Patek archives is included as well! This document confirms the configuration with the rare black dial and the date of manufacture in 1999. Funny detail we can find on the Extract: this perpetual calendar -with leap year indicator- was originally sold on leap day in 2000.