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 created 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 examples thanks to its iconic design, extreme exclusivity, and impeccable craftsmanship.

Long established as one of the most iconic watches of all time, it is often forgotten that the Patek Philippe Nautilus did not receive a positive reaction upon its release on account of its large 42mm case. Knowing the size was turning away most potential customers, Patek Philippe decided to debut a smaller variant with a 37.5mm case. Released five years after the original Nautilus in 1981 and produced until 2005, the ref. 3800 allowed Patek's customers to try the Nautilus out, see it in the wild, and grow accustomed to its somewhat alien design at the time. Upon the success of the ref. 3800, the Nautilus began to pick up sales across its entire collection as collectors began to appreciate the Nautilus' design in the way they had started to appreciate the Royal Oak's a few years prior. While the original Nautilus ref. 3700 is indeed where the collection began, the ref. 3800 can lay claim as the collection's savior as there was no guarantee that Patek's higher-ups would keep the marginally performing collection around should the tides not have turned around as they did. However you view it, the Nautilus collection would be far removed from what it is today if it wasn't for this now iconic variant. Offered here however, we don’t just have a ref. 3800, we have a ref. 3800G, an exceedingly rare 18kt white gold version of the ref. 3800 with a stunning white dial.

Watch is in excellent overall condition. WG case shows minimal surface wear, with a few marks visible along the polished bracelet center links as well as edge of bezel. Bezel is crisp along the edges and has no significant marks along its surface. There is an area of surface oxidation on the caseback as seen in the images, as well as along a few of the bracelet center links. Original tritium white dial in excellent condition, showing a light warm patina and evenly aged luminous plots. Bracelet has 21 links total, 7 of which are removable. It fits an approx 7" wrist, and exhibits minimal stretch. Please note that the the watch is ticking at time of cataloging, but a service is suggested, as the timekeeping is poor.