Patek Philippe's Hidden Gems: The 3974 And The Enigmatic Engal Duo | Part 2

You’ve read enough about early and mid-20th century Patek Philippe rarities. Now, I’ll share two modern-era exemplars with jaw-dropping exclusivity. First, let’s talk about a possibly unique grand complication from Patek Philippe. Here are some hints to guess: yellow gold minute repeating perpetual calendar wristwatch with moon phases and leap year indication. Oh, did I forget the Calatrava cross logo on the upper half? This is a unique and never seen before configuration of the ref. 3974. This reference was originally conceived as a landmark piece to celebrate Patek Philippe’s 150th anniversary in 1989. Among this series of commemorative pieces marking the occasion was the Manufacture’s most complicated wristwatch of the time, the ref. 3974.

During its production from 1989 to 2002, approximately 120 examples of the ref. 3974 were produced in all possible precious metal variations. Of all the documented and known examples of the reference, none has matched with the ref. 3974 yellow gold with a special glossy black lacquered dial, printed with the Calatrava cross logo. It’s powered by Patek Philippe’s self-winding cal. 27RQ. Every furniture element of its dial, be it the applied gold Breguet numerals, its elegant feuille (leaf) hands and the special italic font for the calendar registers is unique only for this particular execution. It appeared at a Phillips auction for the second time, the latest being in 2022 and sold for a hefty $2.5 million.

I’ll conclude with the very dear and absolutely “unbelievable in terms of rarity” examples of the Nautilus. These are the only two of their kind to exist Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700s with “Willy Engal Swiss” on the dial and a CB or MVB engraved on the lower portion of the bezel. There exists grave speculation surrounding these two examples and opposing theories about what or who Willy Engal is. A credible scholarly theory suggests that Willy Engal was a supplier of gemstones used in Patek Philippe timepieces, and a company of the name Willy Engel AG does exist in Thun in Switzerland. It’s listed as a firm specializing in jewelry and precious metals. It’s suggested that Patek Philippe supplied these unique pieces to Willy Engal as a gift of gratitude or were commissioned by the said firm for a couple of executives there. A contentious theory however links these timepieces to a Patek Philippe watchmaker named, as you can guess - Willy Engal, who ordered each of these Nautiluses for his two sons. A strange occurrence for a watchmaker! Which theory is right, nobody knows. What I know from their properly maintained special cork boxes and original associated paperwork is that these two are every bit authentic and probably some of the most unique configurations of the Nautilus ref. 3700 or any other Nautilus reference ever made. What I like most is the unknown and unconfirmed story about the origin of these examples. That’s in itself a unique provenance.

P.S.: Given their hype, you might already know some of the timepieces which I’ve discussed. But for those encountering them for the first time, let me emphasize: as a learner of timepieces, don't be limited solely by the price tag. Explore the history, craftsmanship and intricacies of these examples and many more. Learn, question and discover. Only then can you truly understand their worth, which often transcends mere monetary value, even when that value is an exponential number you’ve to count the zeros of to understand!