97.
PATEK PHILIPPE – A very fne and rare white gold automatic wristwatch with date
Manufacturer
Patek Philippe
Year
1970
Reference No.
3445
Movement No.
1’117’660
Case No.
328’796
Model Name
Monodate
Material
18K white gold
Calibre
Automatic, cal. 27-460M, 37 jewels,
Bracelet/Strap
Leather strap
stamped twice with the Geneva Seal Clasp/Buckle
18K white gold Patek Philippe pin buckle
Dimensions
35mm Diameter
Signed
Case, dial and movement signed
Estimate CHF 7,000-12,000 $7,200-12,300 €6,200-10,600 Accessories Accompanied by Patek Philippe Extract from the Archives confrming production of the present watch in 1970 and its subsequent sale on September 9, 1970.
Reference 3445 was launched in 1961 and remained in production for about 20 years. Produced in the three gold colors and in platinum, it is the frst Patek Philippe automatic timepiece to feature the simple date complication. The case design of the model evolved over time, with three series recognized. The frst series, such as the present piece, was made until the late 1970s and features an acrylic crystal and a
lower bezel, and was produced by Antoine Gerlach (casemaker stamp: number 4 in a key). Gerlach was also responsible for the second series of cases, featuring a higher bezel due to the introduction of the sapphire crystal. Finally, the last series (few pieces made in 1980) was manufactured in-house by Ateliers Réunis, Patek Philippe’s own casemaking frm, and features a glazed display back. The movement powering reference 3445 is cal. 27-460M, an upgrade of cal. 27-460 (M stands for Monodate) which is itself the fnal evolution of cal. 12-600, widely considered the best automatic movement of all times. Combining technical supremacy, practicality and the understated design typical of Patek Philippe, the present watch is an extremely attractive proposition for the connoisseur of fne vintage pieces.
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