Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3700/1 from 1977, featuring the elusive “Dash dial”: the very first execution found on the earliest examples of the original Nautilus.

It is difficult to overstate the importance of the reference 3700. When Patek Philippe introduced the Nautilus in 1976, the idea of an expensive stainless-steel sports watch from one of Switzerland’s most traditional manufactures was still highly unconventional. Audemars Piguet had opened the door with the Royal Oak four years earlier, and Patek Philippe turned to the same designer, Gérald Genta, to create its own interpretation of this new category. The result was the reference 3700/1A, with its unmistakable porthole-inspired case, integrated bracelet and exceptionally thin profile. Almost fifty years later, the design has hardly needed to change.

Within the 3700, however, there is an important hierarchy that is often overlooked. While much has been written about the 3700/1 versus the later 3700/11, one of our favourite details is considerably more subtle: the so-called Dash dial, classified by Nautilus scholar Marco Stanga as the Type 1 Baton dial.

These dials belong to the very beginning of Nautilus production and are generally associated with the earliest case-number batches. Interestingly, some of the movements fitted to these watches had already been manufactured before the Nautilus was officially launched. It is estimated that approximately 3,500 examples of the steel 3700/1 were produced, most likely only 10% of these had this "dash dial.. Inevitably, a considerable number of these early dials were substituted during servicing due to aging. A handful have developed dramatic tropicalisation. The dial on this 1977 example has transformed almost completely from its original dark blue-grey into a remarkable orange-gold tone. Depending on the light, traces of the original colour remain visible underneath, creating an almost metallic depth across the horizontal grooves.

The differences continue beyond the dial. Early 3700/1s have their own case and bracelet characteristics that distinguish them from later Nautilus production. The original 3700/1 bracelet uses wider, shorter links and tapers less aggressively than the bracelet of the later 3700/11. It gives the watch a slightly more substantial appearance on the wrist while retaining the extraordinary fluidity that makes the original Nautilus bracelet so good. On these early execution, the clasp is signed Patek Philippe without the additional Gay Frères signature nor the model name. The bracelet for the /11 is made by Atelier Reunis

The stainless-steel case retains the wonderful proportions that made the original 3700 such an unusual watch in the first place. Its broad bezel, lateral case “ears” and remarkably slim construction are pure Genta, while the case geometry remains well defined and consistent with careful wear. The integrated bracelet shows appropriate signs of use and is visually coherent with the case.

For many years, the original 3700 became somewhat overshadowed by the enormous attention surrounding its modern descendant, the 5711. We always found that slightly strange. The 3700 is where the Nautilus story actually begins: the original proportions, the original two-part case construction, the ultra-thin calibre 28-255 C derived from the legendary Jaeger-LeCoultre calibre 920, and the bracelet that was conceived as an integral part of the watch rather than simply attached to it.

Within that already important reference, the Dash dial takes you one step closer to the very beginning of the Nautilus story. It also makes you wonder why Patek Philippe soon abandoned the dash markers in favor of the dots seen on virtually all later Nautilus dials. Perhaps the dashes were considered a little too reminiscent of the Royal Oak, Gérald Genta’s earlier breakthrough. Whatever the reason, their short-lived appearance makes this earliest execution all the more fascinating today. These first-execution 3700s have become a serious niche within Nautilus collecting. Finding one is difficult. Finding one with an original dial that has aged as captivating and beautifully as this is something else entirely.

A wonderfully charismatic example of the original Nautilus, and exactly the kind of 3700 we like to find. It also still features the correct date wheel which one only encounters on the earliest examples. Comes with extract of the archives.