Hi All,

This is my first post... been a lurker for awhile. Anyway, my wife was given this patek from her great uncle from Hong Kong. She never really mentioned it before besides casually mentioned she got a watch from family and thinks it's nice. She's not into watches or anything so I when I finally saw it, I was quite surprised to see it was a patek.

I spent some time trying to identify it but can't get any further than 18k yellow gold calatrava between 1970-1990ish? Looking for reference number, year, movement, etc. -- any info I can get. Images are below.

Sorry my pictures are that clear. Watch buckle says patek phillipe geneve - 750.

Thanks!

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Appears to be a 3520D ultra thin PP with a PP bracelet.....a very desirable watch. Worth hanging onto and wearing, it's a top class ultra-thin movement, a classic. Probably a Cal 215 ultra thin movement, probably 1975-1985-ish time period.

 

I am not expert on Patek Philippe watches, but, the watch your wife was given by her uncle has an uncanny resemblance to a Quartz Patek that was released in the 1980s by Patek Philippe. The puzzle for me is that the watches usually had the word "Quartz" on the dial. If the movement is indeed quartz... winding the crown will not start the movement if watch is not working, then it could possibly be a reference 3744.

The image below is of a white gold version of the ref 3744 and it doesn't have the "Quartz" on the dial either. Also an image of a yellow gold with the quartz on the dial with a slightly thicker font. If it winds, then it is most likely "a 3520D ultra thin PP with a PP bracelet" as Evitzee stated above.

Patek Philippe 3744 – Fighting Back
One such classic example comes from one of the most unlikely of sources; Patek Philippe. The Ref 3744J was an 18k solid gold timepiece produced by the high-end watchmaker in the 1980’s and 1990’s, and offered all the same trappings of a mechanical Calatrava, with the exception that it was powered by a quartz movement. Incredibly the brand made no effort to hide this fact, proudly emblazoning the word ‘Quartz’ across the bottom of the dial just above 6 o’clock. Of course in the present day such a concept would be unthinkable. Although Patek Philippe still produces a number of quartz-powered watches, they are limited to the ladies watch collection and they certainly do not advertise the fact on the dial. However, these were different times and the brand was rightfully proud of the fact that it was incorporating cutting edge technology into its watches, as were its customers.

Sources: https://www.collectorsquare.com/en/...va-clous-de-paris/ref-patek-philippe-3744/lpi
https://www.dreamchrono.com/2014/08/patek-philippe-3744-the-quartz-calatrava/

 

Good call... if it's mechanical. I was thinking later as the 3520 was 1970s
Link:
https://www.chrono24.com/patekphilippe/calatrava-3520d-18k-yellow-gold-32mm-watch--id16519616.htm

 

Pic of OPs watch, for the record

 

Thanks all for the replies, figuring this out is far more difficult than I anticipated.

I've added more pictures to the original post now, with the back and crown and buckle.

I have it here right now and it is in fact a manual wind and it is working (great!).

How do I embed pictures in posts?

 

You can drag and drop from your computer or other websites, you can copy and paste, you can click on the box below ADD PHOTOS, select photos from your computer, wait until they appear below the dialog box and then select insert photo.

This forum is the easiest to post photos by many many miles.

 

Thanks. To be clear, and if I'm being thick headed I apologize, I can get them to upload and show up under my post, but I can't figure out how to have them show in the post. The only thing I can do is create links to be clicked on and opened as photos. After uploading my images, there's no option to select "insert photo." Maybe they are too large?

 

Try with some smaller files, say 1 or 2MB.

 

Thanks all. Looks likely to be a Ref. 3520D with perhaps cal 215 (or 177), 18k yellow gold with integrated yellow gold mesh bracelet, 1973-1990.

 

So... you going to wear it?

 

Integrated gold mesh bracelet does not fit me, even on the lowest buckle setting, so I'd need to get that adjusted. No idea where to look to do that -- any ideas?

But in general, I don't plan on wearing it except for perhaps a rare event where it would fit.

 

There is very little adjustment possible with these kinds of bracelets. If it is all original I would be very cautious in having it adjusted, it will hurt the value long term. Is it too long or too short?

 

Too long. And yes, I agree, I wouldn't even consider getting it adjusted unless it was legit -- that's why I asked where would I even start?

 

Too long is your only hope to have it adjusted to fit your wrist. It's a beauty and I'd consider bearing the expense of bring it to my local Patek AD and see if Patek will resize it to fit. If so, bring your check book!

 

It will definitely be easier to shorten the bracelet then to lengthen the bracelet. I found an interesting video explaining how to lengthen a PP gold mesh bracelet. It will still require a jeweler or watchmaker with skill to shorten, but, it can be done.

 

Terrific video. Jeweler did a good job!