Why the early Patek Philippe 3970s are so important

In this video, John Reardon presents three early Patek Philippe 3970s and explains why these perpetual calendar chronographs tell one of the most important stories in modern Patek Philippe collecting. The three watches were first sold in 1987, 1988 and 1989 and together they capture the birth and evolution of a complication that defines the company. In 1941, Patek Philippe introduced the ref. 1518, the world’s first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch, of which only 281 were made. Ten years later in 1951, the ref. 2499 was introduced. During its 35 years of production, only 349 ref. 2499 wristwatches were produced. In 1985, production of the ref. 2499 ended and the following year, the ref. 3970 was introduced.

To begin, John presents one of the earliest ref. 3970 watches ever to be produced, made in 1986 with movement number 875 006. John explains how to identify a first series ref. 3970 by analyzing the watch shown in this video. He then presents a ref. 3970EJ made in the following year 1988, and explains how to identify a second series and the meaning of the ‘E' which appears for the first time in the reference number. The third and final watch is a rare ref. 3971 which was the first perpetual calendar chronograph to feature a sapphire crystal back and a solid screw back, hence the reference number 3971EJ on the Extract from the Archives. This ref. 3971EJ made in 1989, also features the sort-after Tiffany & Co. signature on the dial and John explains why for collectors this watch has the potential to be grail piece. Estimated production numbers are also included for early ref. 3970s making this a must-view video for collectors and enthusiasts alike.