Exploring Evergreens: Thomas Goes Hands-On With The Original Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 3700/1A

After spending time with the Rolex Submariner ref. 5508 and the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph, I get yet another chance to explore a personal grail watch today. Yes, life can be good when you have special access to some of the world’s finest watches. This time, I got to strap on a 1978 Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/1A.

Again, the stakes are high. Does spending time with the Nautilus cement it as one of my all-time favorites, or does it buckle under pressure? Let’s see how we fared together!

The original Patek Philippe Nautilus

Patek Philippe introduced the Nautilus in 1976 with this reference 3700/1A. This was a bold watch by any measure, from its “Jumbo” 40mm diameter (42mm from ear to ear), strong integrated bracelet design, and — last but certainly not least — an eye-watering US$3,100 price. Such a sum for a steel watch was previously unheard of and, converted to today’s money, equaled around US$17,000. Patek even boasted, “One of the world’s costliest watches is made of steel” in its advertisements at the time.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus

Gérald Genta famously drafted the rough sketch for the Nautilus on a napkin in a matter of minutes. Genta’s pencil was only one of many things linking the Nautilus to the 1972-introduced Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. While the Royal Oak showed an escape for Swiss brands from the Quartz Crisis in ultimate luxury, the Nautilus validated that approach in many ways. The similarities are striking, with a diving-helmet-inspired RO versus a porthole-inspired Nautilus, a shared Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber, integrated bracelets, and blue dials.

These two titans paved the way for a new luxury Swiss watch industry. In a sense, the Nautilus is the Cristiano Ronaldo to the Royal Oak’s Lionel Messi. The competition only drove both to greater heights.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/1A

So, what was this original Nautilus all about? Interestingly, the 3700/1A featured a two-part case held together with screws in the “ears.” This means the porthole design wasn’t merely an aesthetic gimmick but also the inspiration for the case’s construction. The movement had to be loaded in from the top, enabled by a split crown stem. This and the caliber’s slim profile allowed for a svelte 7.5mm overall case thickness. The bracelet is famously integrated with the case for a more naturally flowing and cohesive overall design. On the 3700/1A, the bracelet tapered to 16mm at the clasp, while tapered to 14mm on later versions.

Inside ticks the ultra-thin automatic caliber 28-255C, Patek’s version of the Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 920. The movement measures just 2.45mm thick by 28mm across. JLC supplied ébauche versions not just to AP and Patek but also to Vacheron Constantin. With a 19,800vph frequency and a power reserve of around 38 hours at less than 2.5mm thick, it ticked all the boxes for the “Holy Trinity.”

The Patek Philippe Nautilus featured a ridged dial with what many call a “teak-deck pattern.” Patek’s craftspeople hand-carved these ridges, adding a subtle sunburst effect and blue lacquer on top. The simple, rectangular white gold applied indexes contrast with the rounded baton handset. Little design quirks like this give the Nautilus character.

Handling the original Nautilus for the first time

The first thing I noticed upon picking up the 3700/1A in front of me was its size. Even by today’s standards, this is indeed a jumbo watch. Unlike many of its modern counterparts, however, it wears its proportions with great elegance. The wide-flaring porthole ears taper off radically to a very elegant bracelet. The case’s beautiful slimness and the dial’s subtle elements provide it with a formal, suave quality that perfectly counterbalances the imposing stature.

The design masterfully combines subtle details and stark, bold statements. For instance, its wide, flat bezel adds assertion to the much more refined dial sitting within it. The flatness is amplified by the dial’s proximity to the sapphire crystal. We have grown accustomed to tall hand stacks and even taller rehauts, but this looks infinitely more sophisticated.

Compared to the Royal Oak, the Nautilus feels less radical but more mature. Genta softened some of the watch’s bold statements with rounded elements. At first glance, you might feel these are randomly sprinkled in, like the hands contrasting the hour markers. Upon closer inspection, the entire watch balances sternness with softness through its rounded-angular (or angled-round?) bezel and the softened rectangular center links. Even more than in pictures, the design sings to me when handling the watch.

Wearing the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/1A

I was lucky enough to roughly share wrist circumferences with this Nautilus’s owner. Upon slipping my hand through and closing the clasp, the watch confirmed my earlier findings. I know of very few watches that pair boldness and elegance so perfectly. Its stance is commanding without being overpowering. Its appearance is assertive but far from crass. It immediately felt right. “This could be my one watch,” I thought to myself.

Reference 5711/1A

Later versions of the Patek Philippe Nautilus became more congruent in design. Usually, I mean this in a positive sense. In this case, however, I do not. The legendary Nautilus ref. 5711/1A, for instance, got thicker and wider. Bolder hands and markers were thrown in to make it look more aggressive. Overall, it appeared slightly less awkward. In theory, that should have cured the 3700/1A’s split personality. In reality, though, it just threw off its delicate balance, caricaturing it as a statement of wealth rather than a masterclass in watch design.

Interestingly, walking around with this roughly €100,000 (on today’s market) Nautilus feels…normal, for lack of a better word. Nothing here suggests that it is one of the most coveted luxury items in the world. It feels like a very nice, stylish vintage watch. Frankly, a shiny new Rolex Submariner, costing about 1/10th, shouts a lot louder. This speaks for the Nautilus, although it makes me wonder if we have all gone mad. I like it. I mean, I like it a lot! But under no circumstances would I drop this sort of money on one.

Herd mentality

Of course, the above alludes to the herd mentality and groupthink within the watch community. As we collectively decide that a handful of watches are “the ones to get,” we see massive inflation and unhealthy worship of those watches. I fully realize that I am taking part in it, waxing poetic about the Nautilus on my forearm.

Similarly, it is impossible not to view a watch through the lens of its historical relevance. Some watches never turned any heads until the enthusiast community collectively jumped on them. “In my day, you couldn’t give those away, but now you all want one,” is a common comment on such watches. That makes me wonder to what degree hype shapes our opinions.

Let me finally add this, then; I have handled nearly every integrated-bracelet luxury watch on the market, and I do not believe they all impersonate the Royal Oak and Nautilus. However, with the Nautilus in hand, I do see why this and the RO are the OGs of the genre. Very few, including Patek Philippe itself, managed to make one as good as this again. I simply find it beautiful on another level, even with quirks like undersized markers and a bright white date aperture. Sometimes the quirks just work, resulting in a more interesting overall look and feel. Do I even need to mention the Cubitus? Ah, hell…I just did.

I am sure that while some might share my sentiments, many of you will disagree. Let us know in the comments section below what you think of the original Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/1A!