3970E
Perpetual Calendar Chronograph Perpetual Calendar
Lug width: 19 mm
Source: Database- Attachment
- classic lugs
- Status
- Listed in our database, not yet verified
The story · Since 1941
The story of the Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph
In 1941, in the middle of a world war, Patek Philippe began making a perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch in series, a feat no other maker matched for decades. The dial layout of that first 1518 survived, barely touched, for 70 years.
- 1941 to 1954 The first one made in series Ref. 1518 put a full perpetual calendar and a chronograph in a 35 mm case.
- 1986 to 2004 A Lemania heart after quartz Ref. 3970 swapped the Valjoux base for a heavily modified Lemania 2310 and added leap-year and 24-hour displays.
- 2004 to 2010 Grown to 40 mm Ref. 5970 kept the Lemania-based calibre but grew the case to 40 mm, brought back square pushers and put a tachymeter around the dial again.
- 2011 to today An in-house movement at last Ref. 5270 brought calibre CH 29-535 PS Q, developed and built by Patek Philippe itself, ending the reliance on Valjoux and Lemania ebauches.
281
ref. 1518 watches made between 1941 and 1954
Worn by
Eric Clapton, John Lennon, John Mayer, Tom Brady, J.J. Redick
Read the full storyHide the story
281ref. 1518 watches made between 1941 and 1954
349ref. 2499 watches made in 35 years, all four series
CHF 11,002,000CHF 11,002,000: paid for a steel 1518 at Phillips' Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR
456parts in calibre CH 29-535 PS Q of the 5270
Chapters
- 1941 to 1954
The first one made in series
Ref. 1518 put a full perpetual calendar and a chronograph in a 35 mm case. The movement was a Valjoux-based chronograph to which Victorin Piguet added the calendar module. Only 281 were made, most in yellow gold, about a fifth in pink gold and four known in steel.
- 1986 to 2004
A Lemania heart after quartz
Ref. 3970 swapped the Valjoux base for a heavily modified Lemania 2310 and added leap-year and 24-hour displays. With the 3940 it anchored Patek Philippe's mechanical revival after the quartz years, and about 4,000 were made.
- 2004 to 2010
Grown to 40 mm
Ref. 5970 kept the Lemania-based calibre but grew the case to 40 mm, brought back square pushers and put a tachymeter around the dial again. It was the last Lemania-based perpetual calendar chronograph, with about 2,800 made.
- 2011 to today
An in-house movement at last
Ref. 5270 brought calibre CH 29-535 PS Q, developed and built by Patek Philippe itself, ending the reliance on Valjoux and Lemania ebauches. The case grew again to 41 mm, and the model is still in the catalogue in four metals.
Worn by
Eric ClaptonMusic
He owned one of the only two platinum 2499/100s, bought about a decade before Christie's sold it from his collection in Geneva in 2012. Christie's noted he had just sent his beloved platinum 2499 to Patek for a full service.
John LennonMusic1980
Yoko Ono gave him a yellow gold 2499 for his 40th birthday on 9 October 1980, engraved (Just like) Starting Over. He was killed two months later; the watch was later stolen and resurfaced in Geneva in 2014.
John MayerMusic2021
He wore a 5270G on stage at the 2021 Grammys, and GQ says he has collected several Patek perpetual calendar chronographs, including one set with baguette diamonds. CNBC showed a 5970G from his collection.
Tom BradySport2024
The quarterback owned a first-series 3970, the second example ever produced, which Sotheby's sold from his collection in December 2024.
J.J. RedickSport2015
The NBA shooter called his white gold 5970 perpetual calendar chronograph the crown jewel and best watch of his collection.
Moments
2024. In December 2024 Sotheby's sold Tom Brady's first-series 3970, the second example ever made, for $312,000.
2022. Sotheby's sold a unique pink gold 2499 signed by the Milan retailer Gobbi for $7.6 million.
2021. A pink-on-pink 1518 from the estate of Prince Mohammed Tewfik Toussoun of Egypt sold at Sotheby's New York for $9.6 million, the most expensive wristwatch ever auctioned at Sotheby's.
2016. At Phillips' Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR in November 2016, the first of only four known steel 1518s, made in 1943, sold for CHF 11,002,000 after a 13-minute duel, then the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction.
2012. Christie's Geneva sold Eric Clapton's platinum 2499/100 on 12 November 2012 for CHF 3,443,000, a world record for the reference, to an Asian collector in the room.
Designed by
Victorin Piguetmovement designer1941
The complications specialist developed the perpetual calendar module that Patek Philippe added to a Valjoux-based chronograph calibre for the 1518.
Albert-Gustave Piguetmovement designer1942
He designed in 1942 the Lemania 2310/2320 chronograph that Patek modified into calibre CH 27-70 Q for the 3970 and 5970.
Thierry Sterndesigner2004
According to Phillips, citing scholarship, the 5970 was the first wristwatch designed and developed by Thierry Stern after he took over the leadership of Patek Philippe.
Generations and strap changes
- 2018Ref. 5270/1R-001
Rose gold 5270 with a black dial, now discontinued.
Rose gold Goutte (droplet) bracelet fully integrated into the case, with fold-over clasp.
- 2011Ref. 5270G
First perpetual calendar chronograph with Patek Philippe's own calibre CH 29-535 PS Q, 456 parts and 65 hours of reserve.
41 mm case, 21 mm between the lugs, matt black alligator strap with white gold fold-over clasp.
- 2011Ref. 5208P
Triple Complication adding a minute repeater and a monopusher chronograph to an instantaneous perpetual calendar, on a self-winding calibre with 701 parts.
Press release gives a 44 mm platinum case and 22 mm between the lugs.
- 2004Ref. 5970
Same CH 27-70 Q calibre in a larger case with square pushers and a tachymeter scale; made in white, pink, yellow gold and platinum.
Case grew to 40 mm, four millimetres more than the 3970.
- 1987Ref. 2499/100 in platinum
Only two 2499s were cased in platinum, completed in 1987 after the last yellow gold example; one stayed in the Patek Philippe Museum.
37.5 mm platinum case with a platinum Patek Philippe buckle.
- 1986Ref. 3970
Lemania-based calibre CH 27-70 Q in a smaller case, made in four series; the first 100 were yellow gold with snap-on backs.
36 mm case. From the fourth series Patek replaced the strap's pin buckle with a deployant clasp.
- 1941Ref. 1518
The first serially produced perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch, with day and month apertures at 12 and date with moon phase at 6.
35 mm case. The steel 1943 example sold by Phillips at its Geneva Watch Auction: FOUR came on a Gay Freres rice-bead bracelet.