Released in 1976 as Patek Philippe's response to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, an avant-garde luxury stainless steel sports watch borne from AP's necessity to survive the Quartz Crisis, the Nautilus was Patek Philippe's attempt to go head to head with AP's increasingly popular sports watch. Designed by Gerald Genta, the same man that had designed the Royal Oak, the Nautilus was inspired by a porthole and thus features a rounded-over octagonal bezel and hinge-like protrusions on either side of its case. Featuring its signature horizontally embossed dial and iconic integrated bracelet, the Nautilus has become the most sought-after watch in the market today as collectors clamor over available examples thanks to its iconic design, extreme exclusivity, and impeccable craftsmanship. Famed as the very first variant, the Nautilus ref. 3700 was nicknamed the “Jumbo” thanks to its enormous, for the time, 42mm case. An unpopular timepiece from the get-go, the ref. 3700 failed to sell as well as Patek may have hoped, thanks to its significant departure from what Patek was known for at the time – complicated timepieces and classical dress watches. So, today the ref. 3700/1A exists as a rare timepiece indeed with approximately 3500 pieces produced until the ref. 3700/1A's discontinuation in 1990. While it might be the most 'common' of the ref. 3700 variants, it is still an incredibly rare watch. Indeed, considering the appetite for stainless steel Nautilus variants, particularly the full-sized ref. 3700, it is a comparatively harder timepiece to get one's hands on than its precious metal siblings.

Watch is in excellent overall vintage condition. Bezel is sharp and the previously detailed case is generally devoid of any major marks or scratches on the surface. Caseback exhibits some light porosity or oxidation, visible in the images. The original tritium dial and hands are matching, and the dial has only small marks visible with a loupe. The bracelet has 20 links total, 6 of which are removable.

An icon within the world of horology, the Nautilus is the ultimate must-have timepiece for any collector, with the ref. 3700/1A being one of the most important, thanks to its status as the earliest, and collectible variants thanks to its stainless steel construction.