Hands-On With A Unique Platinum Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 3800/1

A Nautilus is by any means a desirable watch, but even among its peers, some rank higher on the scale than others. This also depends on what type of collector you are. Some want the very first version, while others prefer a more recent edition with complications. For those who want something really, really rare, is this platinum Nautilus is right up their alley!

Made in 1999 this Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref.3800/1 is crafted from platinum. An unusual material, as gold has always been the predominant precious metal to make the Nautilus from. In hindsight, this is actually surprising as with platinum the Nautilus retains its casual and sportive appearance but adds the undeniable heft of this dense metal that makes you realize that you are wearing something really precious.

But it is not only the choice of metal that makes this Nautilus so unusual and rare, but it is also its dial. Instead of the batton markers, this dial features printed white colored indexes with the hours being slightly thicker and longer than the ones indicating the minutes. The background is a slate grey sunburst which gives the watch an understated, yet undeniably luxurious look.

The watch didn’t seem to have gotten much wrist time in the past twenty years and is in very good condition. The fact that this Nautilus is not only crafted from platinum but also fitted with this unusual dial, and in this combination has never come up for auction before, make it very collectable. While its estimate was set between CHF 80,000 – 120,000 Phillips sold it for CHF 212,000. This is not surprising as the new owner will have one of the rarest and most desirable variations of the Nautilus, of which at this point it is also unclear if there even is another one ever made in this configuration. Having a piece unique of one of the most respected and wanted sports watches in the world is for many watch collectors a dream come true!