Not only Ref 3445 is important Patek Philippe’s history, the reference is also incredibly rare in platinum. The rarity of vintage watches encased in platinum is not lost on serious collectors: whereas modern day tools and techniques make it possible to mass-produce platinum watches, prior to mid-1980s platinum watches were uncommon because of the difficulty of working with such a hard metal.
Also important to Ref 3445 was the implementation of the Cal 27-460 movement and mono-date window. Considered to be the finest Patek automatic movement ever made, Cal 27-460 is the only automatic Patek made with a bi-directional rotor. The radiating silver dial and simple lines of Ref 3445 make it pure Calatrava and pure 1960s.
Introduced in 1960’s Cal. 27-460, was an evolution of Patek’s first automatic movement and stayed in production until 1985. Walt Odets called Cal. 27-460 “the reigning queen of that half century” and “the most elaborate and costly simple automatic watch movement ever produced.”
Cal. 27-460 features a solid 18 karat gold rotor, consummately decorated with engine turning even though no watch at the time had an exhibition case back. The caliber used the company’s patented Gyromax balance wheel, beating at 19,800 A/h. Aiding the Gyromax wheel is an adjustable balance spring stud carier, replacing the swan neck regulator in the predecessor, and self-compensating Breguet balance spring. The other major improvement over Cal. 12-600 AT is a revamped rotor ball bearing, which used to be unstable due to the massive rotor.
Separate cocks are used for the balance wheel, escape wheel, and fourth wheel. A large bridge is used for the third wheel and center wheel and also acts as a mounting point for the rotor bearing. The movement is rhodium plated and finished to the standards of the Geneva Seal.
This piece comes with original platinum buckle, original box, and service papers dated December 2021.
