Lot 419

Patek Philippe

Perpetual Calendar

An exquisite Geneva wristwatch with perpetual calendar in German, leap year display and moon phase - third series - with additional solid 18-carat white gold caseback coated with blue protective lacquer, setting pin and hang tag - full set!

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Reference 3940, the quintessential perpetual calendar watch, exudes a timeless elegance and is without doubt one of the greatest icons in the Patek Philippe range. The 3940 is a favourite for those who love legendary wristwatches and the watch of choice for Philippe Stern, the father of current Patek Philippe CEO, Thierry Stern.
Reference 3940 was first produced in 1984/1985 in a very small series in yellow gold and was at the time considered the flattest automatic wristwatch with perpetual calendar on the market. The first ever reference 3940 watch, which is today exhibited at the "Museum of Time Measurement" in Zurich, was dedicated to Theodor Beyer and was part of a small forerunner series of only 25 examples. In 1985 reference 3940 went into serial production. When the production was discontinued in 2007 with the model being replaced by reference 5140, total production was estimated at circa 7,000 pieces produced in three series.
The first series was produced from 1985 to 1987. During this short period only an estimated 700 pieces were produced. The first series features sunk subdials at 3 and 9 o’clock, while months and days of the week are printed on the dial. The sigma sign at 6 o’clock sits outside the outer minute ring. The watch has a solid back, but at the time requests were made for a crystal caseback; Patek offered this option for the 3940 with the second series (except for the platinum version).
The second series was produced from 1987 to 1995 with a total of circa 3,500 pieces and came with a two-coloured 24-hour counter, bevelled subdials and sigma sign under the outer minute ring, like the watches of the first series.
The third series (1995 to 2007) features bevelled subdials and a modern sans-serif font. The 24-hour counter is single-colour, the sigma sign is set right on the path of the minute ring. The third series also introduced the slightly updated calibre 240/114. In the remaining 12 years until the model was replaced by reference 5140 circa 2,200 pieces were produced, most of them in yellow gold, with some few pieces in white and pink gold and platinum.