Patek Philippe

The perpetual calendar is one of the great wonders of horology. Once marketed as the complication “that could think”, it knows the exact number of days in each month, even accounting for the leap year, and thus does not need to be reset until the year 2100 provided the watch remains wound. To pack this level of engineering into a wristwatch was a feat accomplished by none other than Patek Philippe in 1923, and it is safe to say that both the complication and the brand that popularised it have since become some of the most hallowed names in watchmaking.

In 1962, Patek Philippe brought about another revolution to the complication, by creating the first ever serially produced perpetual calendar with automatic winding, with the masterfully designed reference 3448. The new watch very much merged classic and contemporary, as though it employed the archetypal dial layout seen in predecessors such as the famed reference 1526, with the perpetual calendar read through the dual apertures below 12 o’clock and sub register above 6 o’clock, the rest of the watch was anything but typical.

Reference 3448 is perhaps best known for its case design. Not only was it large for the period at 37.5mm, earning its ‘Padellone’ (big frying pan) designation, the architecture was extremely futuristic. Gone were the curvaceous and rounded cases of past references, instead sharp angles and sharply pointed lugs can be found. Most distinctive of all was perhaps the sloped bezel, which led some collectors to nickname the watch ‘Disco Volante’, or flying saucer.  

The model would go on to be produced for a 20 year run, yet despite its relatively long stint, less than 600 examples are thought to have been produced across all metals, with an estimated 450-500 pieces made in yellow gold, and today reference 3448 is considered by collectors to be not only one of the most beautiful watches made by Patek Philippe, but also one of the best value purchases in the vintage perpetual calendar market. The unique case design makes the watch extremely relevant for today’s tastes, and the planted wrist presence and historic calibre both further contribute in marking this watch as a true must-have for any serious collector.