Featuring applied Roman numerals on top of a matte black dial, the look is completed with the now-signature power reserve indicator in the top middle part of the dial, resembling a comet and explaining the nickname for this watch.
Needless for me to emphasise, it is a known fact that the Nautilus is one of the most popular watches over the past five years. Of course, the craze is all over the 5711 and blue dials, but for those who want something a little bit unique, underrated and much rarer, this Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref 3710 ‘Comet’ might be for you.
The Nautilus was designed by none other than Gerald Genta himself in 1976 and it was a controversial, avant-garde sports watch in stainless steel that sold for an expensive price, closer to Patek Philippe precious-metal dress watches. Famous for their quality and complications or just their timeless gold Calatravas, Patek Philippe made a bold move to manufacture a luxury stainless steel sports watch.
But Patek wasn’t the first to make the move. A few years earlier, in 1972, Audemars Piguet proved that the formula for an Haute Horlogerie brand to produce a luxury sports watch in stainless steel can be a success, by introducing the iconic Royal Oak timepiece. While the Royal Oak was designed with the same design elements as the Nautilus (Gerald Genta designed both watches), Audemars Piguet was largely seen as the pioneer of the industry and when Patek Philippe followed suit, critics alike who were used to seeing elegant dress watches were shocked to see that they followed in the footsteps Audemars.
Introducing the 3710, COMET
The reference 3700 ‘Jumbo’, the first Nautilus model ever made defy the odds and is one of the holy grails of vintage Patek Philippe in today’s market. Following the 3700’s footsteps, we’ve seen various different iterations produced by Patek Patek, but the 3710 stands out on its own for being different.
Although this may not be the original 3700/1A, it is not too different in terms of size and design and in some ways, the dial is a little more intriguing as compared to the rest. It still has the original porthole case design. The stainless steel case of the 3710/1A Nautilus measures 42mm x 44mm, similar to the original 3700 “Jumbo”. This is the same size the original 3700/1A was, which was considered large back in 1976. Featuring an ultra-slim 8.1mm case, it’s considered thin not only for a sports watch but in general, sliding easily under the cuff of a shirt, making it a versatile watch for all occasions.
3710 “Comet” Unique Dial
The dial is the super unique element of this Comet Nautilus. Featuring applied Roman numerals on top of a matte black dial, the look is completed with an unusual power reserve indicator in the top middle part of the dial, resembling a comet and explaining the nickname for this watch.
Although the dial may be more intriguing as compared to other Nautilus designs, it’s for the collector with an acquired taste. The matte black finish of the dial with train track seconds indicators running around the outside gives it a very neat look. However, the use of Roman numerals does unsettle the balance of the dial – making it look a little messy. But then, just like the 5712, anomalies are desirable by many. Between 11 and 12 o’clock is a power reserve meter also known as the “Comet Tail ”, which is slightly unorthodox – as it chases the indicator hand to display the state of wind. Some may regard it as a bit of a novelty but I actually quite like it.
There is no sapphire cashback exhibition window on this 3710/1A Nautilus but it does house a beautifully finished, mechanical automatic winding, Patek Philippe Calibre 330 S C IZR with the Geneva seal hallmarked, 29 jewels, PP’s innovative Gyromax balance wheel and a 21k gold rotor.
Sports watches mainly tend to feature quite large bracelets. The 3710/1A Nautilus, however, features a nice thin and sleek double folding clasp bracelet. For safety reasons, there is a Patek Philippe engraved flip lock on the clasp as well, to make sure it can’t open by accident.
Final Thoughts
It is practically impossible to buy a Nautilus of any kind these days without paying a huge premium, and for the rarity, the 3710 gives, it looks to be the best value Nautilus out there at the moment. On top of the unique dial, you get everything a Nautilus is supposed to give you with that stunningly hand-finished case- brushed, polished and bevelled.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus is really the ultimate luxury sports watch, combining brutalist design elements with an elegant profile and sizing. With the 3710, you have that added uniqueness of the ‘Comet’, unlike its siblings across the board. It is perfect for Nautilus/Patek Philippe lovers who like collecting the different variations. This 3710/1A might just be the Nautilus they are looking to add to their collection due to its rarity and limited production.