The Comet, as it is known in collecting, has the distinction of being the very first Nautilus with a complication other than a date. Since its introduction in 1998, it has always been the oddball in the sports lineup of Patek Phillippe even though Patek had resurrected its 42 mm size, the ‘Jumbo’, based on the incomparable reference 3700 Nautilus. The watch retains most elements of the reference 3700 including the monobloc case, jumbo size, brushed and polished finishing, and the 120 m water resistance. However, the watch is 8.1 mm thick, making the Comet wear bigger than a 3700 but smaller than the modern 5711 reference. The power reserve is a useful and important complication as it gives the wearer a semblance of how long they can put the watch down to wear another before losing full power. The roman numerals bring a touch of class to what many would argue is a pure sports watch. Make no mistake, despite the price tag of a Nautilus, it is a sports watch, through and through. We would argue that the 3710, is the perfect sized Nautilus as it keeps the old-world charm and blends it perfectly with modern enhancements, such as the caliber 330 SC. It is hard to argue with this watch being a value proposition in a market where astronomical prices of all steel sports watches leave things to be desired.
On May 1st, 1839, Antoine Norbert de Patek, Francois Czapek, and Thomas Moreau founded Patek, Czapek & Cie. Six years later in 1845, Czapek departed the company and started his own brand while Antoine was joined by French watchmaker Adrien Philippe. In 1851, they renamed their joint venture Patek, Philippe & Cie and in 1868, they created the very first Swiss wristwatch, made for the Countess Koscowicz of Hungary.
Since its founding, Patek Philippe has made and patented some of the grandest complications in the world. In 1881, they received the patent for the perpetual calendar in pocket watches and in 1902, the patent for the world first double chronograph (or rattrapante). Between 1910 and 1925, Patek Philippe created the Westminster Chime pocket watch, developed a ladies five-minute repeater wristwatch, a double chronograph wristwatch, and a perpetual calendar wristwatch. Everyone from John Lennon, Nelson Mandela, and Pablo Picasso to royalty like the Sultan of Oman have all donned a Patek Philippe timepiece.
Patek Philippe is the last independent, family-owned watchmaker and still operates in Geneva to this very day. The advertising statement “You never actually own a Patek Phillipe. You merely look after it for the next generation” is a true one. Nearly everything they create becomes an instant classic, be it a simple time-only watch from the Calatrava line or a complex Grandmaster Chime. It would be difficult to overstate the importance of Patek Phillipe in the annals of watchmaking history and they have the distinction of being the first name in the “Holy Trinity” of watchmakers.
Auction Results Patek Philippe
