Patek Philippe Genève, Movement No. 875830, Ref. 3970E, Cal. CH 27-70 Q, 36 mm, circa 1991

A gentleman's extremely rare, astronomical Geneva wristwatch in near mint condition with chronograph, perpetual calendar, leap year indicator, moon phase - sold on 07/19/1991 - with original box, original certificate, papers and setting pin
Case: 18k gold, glazed movement, additional 18k gold push back, 18k Patek Philippe gold buckle. Dial : silvered. Movm.: 2/3 plate movement, Geneva quality hallmark, Gyromax balance.

Ref. 3970/3971 (1986-2005) was introduced on the occasion of Patek Philippe's 150th anniversary and was intended to replace the successful model ref. 2499. It had been produced from 1951 to 1985; thanks to the explosive popularity of collecting vintage Patek Philippe wristwatches during the early 1980s, the collectors had discovered the extreme rarity and lasting value of these watches. Patek Philippe also recognized the need for a more modern design of its most prominent model - the design had only undergone minor revisions over a period of 30 years. Patek Philippe had always had a discerning and loyal clientele, but had never been a high profile brand. When affluent individuals began purchasing modern Patek Philippe wristwatches to wear and enjoy, this changed dramatically. In a successful market of the late 1980s, the ref. 3970 turned into a "best seller" for Patek Philippe. Still only very few collectors realized the true rarity of certain variations for this watch, in particular, the endless possibilities for collecting ref. 3970 by dial variation or different styled indexes and/ or hands.