A beautiful, solid gold ladies Patek Philippe with a concealed dial for absolute discretion. Model reference 3285/12.
HOW DO WE DATE THIS WATCH?
According to the Nicholas Foulkes Authorised Biography of Patek Philippe, this model was first launched in 1962. The serial number on the movement is consistent with this year too, but if you wanted a completely accurate date then an Extract from the Archives can be ordered from Patek Philippe here. This watch actually has a photocopy of an Extract from the Archives from 1984, showing the serial number, but they never mentioned when it was made back then. The copies of the paperwork also include a valuation for insurance from Patek Philippe for CHF9,500 back in 1984, and a service receipt from the same year also from Patek Philippe.
CONDITION
All Patek Philippe watches are rare by their very nature, but we have only been able to find two reference 3285 models with concealed dials for comparison. One is in a Swiss dealers inventory, at £18,499, and the other is in the Patek Philippe museum in Geneve and not for sale. Each of those has a different bracelet design, so if you like this design the chances of finding another at any time in the future will be slim. Fitted with the manual wind calibre 13.5 movement, which has 20 jewels and was adjusted to five positions and temperatures, this beautifully finished movement is running nicely. The real trick here though is the watch looks like a nice 18k gold bracelet throughout most of the day, but the case has a small lip that allows you to hinge the cover open and reveal the dial and time. The dial does have some signs of aging but looks to be original. The crown and the clasp are both signed with the Patek cross, although the bracelet clasp does show some wear.
This watch will be supplied with our branded presentation box and our Certificate of Authenticity.
This watch has been checked against the Watch Register and has not been reported as lost, stolen or implicated in fraud, and a copy of that certificate will also be included.
Please see the HD video for more detail. All photos and videos are part of the description and are of the actual watch unless mentioned. We do not photoshop any pictures, and the images are copyright of birthyearwatches.com and should not be used without permission.
SIZE
Width with crown 19.1 mm
Width without crown 18.2 mm
Lug to lug length 28.9 mm
Case Thickness 8.2 mm
Bracelet will fit a maximum wrist size of 169 mm. The bracelet has a ladder clasp to shorten it by a few mm with each position. The bracelet could be sized for you by a goldsmith if required.
All sizes are approximate. The watch is photographed on a wrist of 150mm/6 inches.
Included with this watch is a 3 month guarantee and free delivery to UK addresses. If you live outside the UK we can still deliver to most countries. Please see our Worldwide Shipping information, or Contact Us. Payment can be made by most credit or debit cards, bank transfer or PayPal.
From 1st September 2021 we will be planting a tree for every watch we sell, working with the International Tree Foundation (Est 1922) to make this business positive on carbon. By buying anything pre owned you are effectively reusing what already exists, but this takes it further and makes us feel good.