Patek Philippe. A very fine and rare platinum automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, original certificate, sales tag and box

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Lots 130 & 131 – Patek Philippe Ref. 3940Reference 3940, the quintessential perpetual calendar distinguished by its timeless elegance, is undeniably amongst Patek Philippe's greatest classics. Launched in 1984 as replacement for reference 3450, it was at the time the slimmest automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch. An initial series of around 100 pieces were manufactured between 1984 and 1985, the first 25 were especially made for the 225nd anniversary of Patek Philippe's retailer Chronometrie Beyer in Zurich, numbered and personalized. Starting in 1985, reference 3940 went into standard production. Until the model's discontinuation in 2007 when it was replaced by reference 5140 three further series were produced. The main design variants between earlier and later series include sunken subsidiary dials as opposed to the rather beveled version and a plain leap year dial rather than the one with the quarter separations. Earlier models featured a smaller signature, the designation "Swiss" was printed underneath the beady minute divisions. This was changed in later series with the "Swiss" printing within the ring. Examples of reference 3940, both regular and the Chronometrie Beyer anniversary version, are illustrated and described in Patek Philippe Museum - Patek Philippe Watches - Volume II, p. 300, and in Patek Philippe Wristwatches by Martin Huber & Alan Banbery, second edition, pp 292 - 294.

Patek Philippe. A very fine and rare platinum automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, original certificate, sales tag and box

Signed Patek Philippe, Geneve, Ref. 3940, movement no. 773'155, case no. 2'905'419, manufactured in 1992

Details

Patek Philippe. A very fine and rare platinum automatic perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases, original certificate, sales tag and box
Signed Patek Philippe, Geneve, Ref. 3940, movement no. 773'155, case no. 2'905'419, manufactured in 1992
MOVEMENT: automatic, cal. 240 Q, stamped with the Geneva seal, 27 jewels
DIAL: silvered, applied white gold baton numerals, outer beady minute divisions, three sunk subsidiary dials for day and 24 hour display, month and leap year, moon phases and date
CASE: circular, snap on back, 36 mm. diam.
SIGNED: case, dial and movement
BUCKLE: platinum Patek Philippe buckle
ACCOMPANIED BY: Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin stamped by the Zurich retailer Gübelin and dated August 1992, sales tag, setting pin, brochure, Patek Philippe presentation box with outer packaging. The Extract from the Archives confirms the production of the present watch with opaline-silvered dial and white gold indexes in 1992 and its subsequent sale on 5 May 1992.

Special Notice

Many of the watches offered for sale in this catalogue are pictured with straps made of endangered or protected animal materials such as alligator or crocodile. These endangered species straps are shown for display purposes only and are not for sale. Christie’s will remove and retain the strap prior to shipment from the sale site. At some sale sites, Christie’s may, at its discretion, make the displayed endangered species strap available to the buyer of the lot free of charge if collected in person from the sale site within 1 year of the date of the sale. Please check with the department for details on a particular lot.

Lot Essay

Purchased by the present owner at the renowned retailer Gübelin in Zurich in 1992, the present watch impresses with its close to new condition and the presence of the original certificate and box.

The platinum models of ref. 3940, the rarest version such as this watch, were delivered with the plain snap on back only (apart from to date one known example with glazed back) whereas the other case versions were available with both solid and glazed back.

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