"3rd Series" 1999 Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Moonphase 18K RG (Ref. 3940R) W/ Winder Box, Papers, & Accessories

It wouldn't be an overstatement, and most renowned collectors around the world would agree, that this reference from Patek Philippe was one of the most essential and important watches to the preservation of craftsmanship, manufacturing ingenuity, and artistry in watchmaking. The Patek Philippe reference 3940 was created to juxtapose the world of horology in the 1980s, when, at the time, quartz watches were the antithesis of mechanical artistry in watchmaking. Patek risked everything to encapsulate the idea that true value in watches lies within the innovation of what a watchmaker can accomplish with physical components and a little imagination, and imaginative the ref. 3940 was.

Patek Philippe created a wristwatch that tracked not only the time, but the day, the date, the month, the cycle of the leap year, and the phases of the moon, along with a 24-hour day/night indicator included for good measure. All of this is displayed on a dial that is beautifully formatted, easy to read, and dripping with sophistication. While accomplishing to make a perpetual calendar that isn't busy to the eye is a feat on its own, the most impressive detail of the reference 3940 is that Patek Philippe did this in a case that measures only 9mm thick, and with a movement that features a self-winding mechanism, an achievement previously thought mechanically unfathomable until the creation of this watch. This was done with the caliber 240-Q ultra-thin automatic movement, which features a 22K yellow gold micro-rotor for the winding system.

The Patek Philippe 3940 is generally broken down into three versions, or three series, across its illustrious 21 years of production from 1985-2007. Initially introduced only in solid yellow gold and with the very first 25 units being numbered and co-signed by retailer Beyer, rarified air is the most qualifying adjective for these, and shortly after the initial launch, Patek released models in white gold, platinum, and then later rose gold as well. The first series is highly regarded for being the original design, characterized by the "sunken sub-dials", but is far and beyond the most rare of the three series. It is well documented that only 700 pieces were produced in the first series during a short production run between 1985 and 1987. The second series saw the most substantial aesthetic change to the dial, though it is also decidedly appreciated for its classical beauty. This series is also broken into an early and late subdivision and was in production from 1987 to 1995. The third series is visually very similar to the second series, while airing on a slightly more modern aesthetic, Patek also introduced the caliber 240/114 in this series, and it was produced between 1995-2007. The Patek Philippe ref. 3940 was also re-released in the year 2015 with a white gold case and salmon dial for the brand's 175th-anniversary grand exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

For many collectors, the reference 3940 could be a one-watch collection, hitting the mark on so many levels from historical significance, manufacturing ingenuity, aesthetic excellence, and general wearability overall. While this may or may not be true for you, the importance of the 3940 remains paramount, being a watch with an impact that is still felt today by helping change the course of watchmaking's future through being a pillar of mechanical brilliance.