Nautilus Ref.3700 Double-signed Beyer Steel 'Jumbo'

In fact…

This piece is a rare and valuable piece due to the fact that it is the first Nautilus introduced in 1976, the condition is mint with minor, insignificant scratches and the dial is double-signed with Beyer, an authorized retailer for Patek Philippe. In the valuation of vintages, signature by retailers or partnering companies such as Beyer on the watch tend to render the piece a auction-grade piece with the potential of becoming a high-valued piece, which today it certainly did become.

The classic Nautilus launched in 1976 as an all-steel sports watch was marketed aggressively as a luxury watch at a turbulent time when the mechanical watch industry must face-off with the Quartz contemporaries. Named after the submarine depicted in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the first Nautilus Ref.3700 was launched in 1976, 4 years after the Royal Oak was introduced by Audemars Piguet. As both the Nautilus and Royal Oak were designed by Gerald Genta, they look almost alike but on closer inspection one would realize their unique DNA and for the Nautilus, the bezel which is inspired by the looks of a porthole window on a ship is the most unique proposition and identifiable feature of it. Of course, the horizontal grooves created by engine-turning technique is also a mainstay throughout all variants of the Nautilus. The Nautilus and its marketing approach is a successful onel which have introduced 30 different iterations through the course of time.