Patek Philippe Nautilus 3800/105

The exceptionally rare reference 3800 Nautilus executions with factory diamond settings are among of the most mouth-watering pieces ever made by Patek Philippe.

Patek Philippe introduced the 3800 as the midsize brother of the original 3700 Nautilus, clocking in at a diameter of 37.5 mm. The 3800 wasn’t just a shrunken Nautilus, but introduced some important improvements vis-à-vis its big brother. For instance, the 3800 was the first Nautilus to feature an in-house automatic movement: the caliber 335 SC. Moreover, the 3800 also was the first Nautilus reference to feature a center seconds (as indicated by the “SC”, which stands for seconde centrale).

The ref. 3800/10x subseries of the mid-size Nautilus features exquisite gem-set models. In the previous drop, we already sold an ultra-rare reference 3800/103 with diamonds and rubies. This ref. 3800/105 is even more special, with fewer than a handful publicly known.
The extremely limited run of the 3800/105 was produced in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Gerald Genta designed case and integrated bracelet are executed in 18k yellow gold, while the bezel features an exquisite factory-set pavé diamond bezel. The bejeweled theme continues not only on the center links of the integrated bracelet, but also on the exceptional circular pavé set diamond dial with baguette-set sapphire quarters. An uncommon black date disc with contrasting white text—a feature found only on early executions of the ref. 3800—provides a counterweight to the outstanding dial. Meanwhile, the beautiful broad 18K yellow gold dauphine hands inject the watch with a hint of 1950s elegance.

This exceptional 3800/105 dates back to 1984 and comes with an extract of the Patek Philippe archives.