The First Patek Philippe Ref. 3970 Lists For $5 Million — Boss Hunting

With fewer than 100 examples believed to have been made before Patek Philippe moved to the screw-down caseback, this first-series 3970 is already a fairly remarkable piece of watchmaking history to have survived intact.

But for the enthusiasts who truly revel in the nuts and bolts, it’s the first instance of the brand’s movement number 875’000, the starting point for the entire reference. And Sotheby’s has placed a hefty 1,000,000 – 3,000,000 CHF (~AU$1.7 million – ~AU$5.2…