Rare Patek Philippe Nautilus Featuring A Diamond-Set Sigma Dial Heads to Auction

Another rare Patek Philippe Nautilus collectible is heading to auction later this month and it is a sight for sore eyes. Later this month, Chiswick Auctions is expected to sell the Patek Philippe REF: 3800/1A-012 for upwards of £45,000 GBP (approximately $56,000 USD).

The timepiece is a rare collectible and dates back to a manufacturing date in 1994. What makes this watch so special is its diamond-set Sigma dial, featuring white gold hands. The night blue ribbed Sigma dial is signed an 18 carat white gold stick hands with luminous inserts highlight the time. The watch also includes a date aperture at the three o’clock position, where a white calendar disk with black Arabic numerals can be seen. The Sigma dials were first used in the early 1970s and refers to dials with indexes and hands made with solid gold. The Greek sigma letters can be seen around the “Swiss” motif at the six o’clock position. Very few watchmakers were allowed to use Sigma letters on their dials, in fact, only watchmakers from the L’Association pour la promotion Industrielle de l’Or (APROIR) were allowed to do so.

The watch has a diameter of 38mm and launched in the early 1980s as a scaled down version of PP’s famous “Jumbo.” Sigma dials are extremely rare since most Nautilus watches are made of gold or platinum making this watch just one of around 15 examples that have appeared at auction to date. The casing is stainless steel, with a snap-on back and comes with all the necessary paperwork.

Check out Chiswick for more information.

In other watches news, Saint Laurent reinterprets Girard-Perregaux’s Casquette digital watch.