Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1J 'Doré dial'

If Tony Soprano had worn a Nautilus, it would have been this one.

The launch of the Nautilus was not an indulgence but a necessity. Faced with the rapid rise of Japanese quartz watches, even Patek Philippe felt the pressure. A few years earlier, Audemars Piguet had already disrupted the market with the Royal Oak, introducing an entirely new category: the luxury sports watch. Patek Philippe turned to the same designer, Gérald Genta, not to imitate, but to interpret the idea through its own lens.

What emerged was the Nautilus: decidedly modern, yet unmistakably Patek. Before the Royal Oak and Nautilus, high watchmaking was neatly divided: gold for dress watches, steel for sports watches. The Nautilus blurred that line entirely. It debuted in steel, but success came quickly, and executions in yellow gold, two-tone and platinum soon followed.

The example offered here is one of those early yellow-gold pieces. Produced in 1978, it belongs to the first generation of the /1 reference, of which approximately 1,000 examples were made before Patek Philippe refined the bracelet with longer links and a more pronounced taper. Compared to the utilitarian charm of steel, yellow gold transforms the Nautilus into something far more expressive: confident, relaxed, and unapologetically luxurious. Whereas, the steel variant is perfect to wear on a daily basis, the one we have here is more likely to accompany your wrist while sitting on the beach in Saint-Tropez or perhaps even Miami, sipping from your glass of Crystal.

This watch has clearly been worn and enjoyed, as evidenced by light surface marks, yet it remains in very strong condition. All hallmarks are crisp, and the bracelet shows minimal stretch. The doré dial, while not original to the watch at birth, is a compelling and period-correct upgrade that subtly shifts the character, adding warmth and depth without disturbing the design’s integrity.

"Jumbo" in size, "Great" in demand and "Mega" in historical significance.