Patek Philippe Nautilus ref.3700 "Gübelin"

The Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700 is the original Nautilus in Patek Philippe’s history. Designed by Gerald Genta during the quartz crisis, it represented a bold repositioning of mechanical watchmaking. Its integrated case design, slim profile, and clean two-hand dial created a calm and balanced aesthetic that still feels modern today. Compared to later references, the 3700 is thinner and more restrained, with elegant, slender hands and hour markers. The simplicity of its dial, two hands and twelve markers, remains one of its greatest strengths, free from unnecessary detail.

This example is further elevated by its Gübelin double signature at six o’clock. Gübelin, a historic Swiss jeweler with over a century of heritage, was one of the era’s most respected retailers. Well-known local jewelers such as Gübelin were trusted names among consumers, and printing the retailer’s signature on the dial made the watch easier to sell. Even today, the rarer double-signed 3700 examples are generally more desirable and sought after than standard versions without a retailer signature.