In their May 2025 auction-catalogue Phillips Auctions calls the Patek ref3770 Nautillipse "a quirky and very rare quartz wristwatch" (*klikk). It sold for >CHF35'000 in the most common all-steel version, which is imo a correct price for the exceptional icon, designed by Gerald Genta. By the way, one of just two models designed by Genta for Patek: the other was the original Jumbo Nautilus ref3700 some years before.

Now, when Phillips calls it "very rare" then this is indeed true for the rarest neo-vintage Patek "Nautilus X Ellipse" with just approx 300 pieces made in the early 1980s.

But when Phillips calls it quirky I take a close look: and indeed, what they present in their ad (two photos on the right) looks strange. Yes, it is a ref3770-case and dial but with a ref3800-bracelet (see the interlinks and see how quirky the bracelet is attached to the case), what they present in their catalogue... a watch set-together from different watches and even more, from different models. Are you surprised it looks quirky and a bit frankensteinig, Phillips?

When presented with its original ref3770-bracelet -- like we always did and will do (see two photos on the left) --, then it becomes not only even rarer but also much less quirky... instead just more beautiful, wearable and characteristic. Yes, the bracelet is a rare one as well: made in just a few hundred examples (most in all-steel, a few in steel-gold and really rare in all-gold) by Gay Freres and unique to this reference: Patek ref3770.

By the way, Phillips loves to offer them like this sooo much: *klikk. Now I am interested to see which other watches they called quirky in their past catalogues...

Source: Phillips