Thanks for the welcome.

Apr 15, 2013,10:41 AM
 

Actually I've been a member of the forum for several years.  It has been several years since I have posted anything.  When I came here last week it showed some history at my email address but It wanted me to sign in with a secret word or some such thing.  It took me about a half hour to jump through the hoops and I did go through and update my info but all my basic information was already in the system.


I know I probably should have said a little more about myself but honestly when I finally got in to be able to post I was a little frustrated and didn't even think of  it.

Not much to say;  I'm a 70 year old retired male living in Los Gatos, CA.   Married for 43 years, two boys 31 and 34, one grandson 1.5 years old.  One son is in the family business and the other son works at Apple (he can't tell us what he does but he does have his name on more than a several patents for Apple). He's the wine with the R8 Audi.

My real passion is for wine;  I've got a 5,000 bottle cellar.  My emphasis is on California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. I also have a sizable collection of Chateau d'Yquem.  I drink very little; the hobby has become collecting/trading plus I do a lot of tasting dinners.  We'll go through 30 bottles of wine at a sitting but 99% of the time it goes in the mouth for a few seconds and then spit it out.  Occasionally I'll find an exceptional bottle and that I'll drink.  It the old libretto, "Life's too short to drink bad wine!".  If you are interested you can go to my website www.100pointers for pictures of my cellar.  The web site is pretty basic but I think interesting.

I own a 3940 and a 5064A (one of the first (smaller) Aquanauts..  My wife has a couple of diamond models and my #1 son has one of the lesser complications.  My #2 son at Apple doesn't really wear a watch although that may change (I'm sure you heard the rumors of an Apple "Dick Tracy" device that would also be a watch).  He carries around several iPhones but I am allowed to use/look at only one of them.

I am considering selling the 3940.  I wear it so seldom mostly because I can't read the time (let alone all the other data) without glasses.  I can see the time on the Aquanaut because it has white hands on a black dial.  Actually my watch of choice these days is a very simple and large 48mm dial Invecta white on black.  I don't have to put on my glasses.  I know; sinful, sinful… but this dumb depression and living on Social Security has put a damper on a lot of things.  I've "cut back" on a lot of things.  Retirement wasn't supposed to be like this!  

I'm not complaining really. Cutbacks like for the past 15 years I have owned Audi cars from the R8 to the R8L to the S8.  Those cars have been wonderful and have all the latest technology and luxury one could want.  Tomorrow ends my A8 era.  I am taking delivery of a new S4.  Actually it has 95% of the tech and luxury that the A8 has:  it is just smaller and very much quicker!!!  I'm excited.

I'm sorry…  you ask for an introduction and I give you a novel.  It is a (maybe bad) habit of mine.  I also talk too much.

Il post the picture of my 3940 for all to see.  I'm not at all concerned that it isn't real.  I'm just trying to get an idea on how much I could sell it for.  It is in mint condition and last September it went back to Lucerne for the $3,000 two-month tune-up and cleaning.

If anyone has any suggestions that would help me sell it I would appreciate it. (Attention: By PM only! Oliver)  I don't really know how to do it but I could put it up on eBay (along with a dozen others that are there) and maybe get around $40,000 or I could probably sell it to a non-Patek dealer at a wholesale price around $20,000 (maybe more).  I have zero experience in doing things like this.

OTS…  Talk about difficult to sell…  I also have xxx (Sales - collectors market only! Oliver)


This message has been edited by small-luxury-world on 2013-04-16 00:52:34


More posts: 39405064aquanautAudicomplicationsgrand complications

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Patek 3940 - different models

 
 By: fdavidn : April 14th, 2013-13:21
I purchased a new 3940 on 7/1/1987. On the "Certificate d'origine" the Reference model says 3940. I've been trying to get an appraisal on the thing but most of the 3940 models I see for sale have a letter after the number. 3940 3940 P 3940 J 3940 R 3940 S... 

3940 is the start of the reference and

 
 By: dr.kol : April 14th, 2013-13:31
J means yellow gold R rose gold G white gold P platinum Second series refers to the dial variations. I think the 2nd series was between 1987 and 1989. With the 2nd series dials there were no lines between numbers in the leap year indicator at 3 o'clock. H... 

Yellow Gold

 
 By: fdavidn : April 14th, 2013-18:07
As you can see here the Reference # is just "3940". Down in the bottom half it say "Boitier/Case: or jaune" which translates to "yellow gold". There is no reference to the letter "J". Is this unusual? ...  

I think it is...

 
 By: dr.kol : April 14th, 2013-23:20
The Certificate of mine is stating as reference 3940R-(dial number). However, the Certificate is of the current type. I also checked a Certificate that is of the same type than yours (the previous type) and there the type of gold is not stated in the refe... 

Certificate of Origine

 
 By: fabios : April 15th, 2013-06:20
Some doubts about Certificate of Origine: strange to see a new type of Certificate of Origine dated 1987....it should be smaller and different; but may be I'm wrong.

I have a similar from about the same years

 
 By: dr.kol : April 15th, 2013-06:56
so I do not see any problems there. Best, Kari

Can' Upload Photo

 
 By: fdavidn : April 15th, 2013-10:53
I uploaded a photo yesterday (Certificate of Origin) but now I am trying to upload a jpg of the watch itself. I keep getting this ERROR message: ERROR The following error has occurred while attempting to upload your files: Uploader was passed an invalid b... 

Sorry I can't.

 
 By: dr.kol : April 15th, 2013-11:19
But there is some kind of help desk. Best, Kari

Patek 3940

 
 By: fdavidn : May 16th, 2013-21:10
There is no real problem at all. I'm just trying to figure out how much I should insure it for. I look at eBay and the prices for a 3940 are all over the map differing by $30,000 if not more. I wonder what the differences are in the watches. I've sent my ... 

Some Photos

 
 By: fdavidn : April 15th, 2013-14:13
44mm RedLine Chronograph, Swiss Quartz, $49.99 ...  

Funny how different it looks...

 
 By: dr.kol : April 15th, 2013-15:30
Mine is the same watch but produced some 15 years later. Small changes make the dial to look very different. Best, Kari ...  

And mine splits the differences

 
 By: Thurmond Von Ripper : April 16th, 2013-15:38
3941 from 1987 ...  

First of all welcome to the forum.

 
 By: small-luxury-world : April 15th, 2013-06:05
A short introduction would have been nice, before asking for help. Just a question of politeness, isn´t it? Nonetheless, it looks like you bought yourself a 3940J from the first series. My guess based on the movement of the document shown. Are we talking ... 

Thanks for the welcome.

 
 By: fdavidn : April 15th, 2013-10:41
Actually I've been a member of the forum for several years. It has been several years since I have posted anything. When I came here last week it showed some history at my email address but It wanted me to sign in with a secret word or some such thing. It... 

Got to say

 
 By: no_frills : April 15th, 2013-11:45
I love the introduction! Thanks for the background. So nice of you to try to get your sons into fine timepieces. I am hoping my daughters will appreciate my watches when I pass it on to them. As for the Certificate of Origin it looks like one of the earli... 

Series I

 
 By: autowind : April 15th, 2013-14:50
the dial looks like a Series I. Does it have a metallic clip on back or screw on back?

Welcome & thank you for your detailed introduction

 
 By: Topcat30093 : April 15th, 2013-23:24
I am not sure when the 3940 was originally released? But your piece must be quite close? It will be make a lovely inheritance for your family. :)

Even when it was your "second" introduction ...

 
 By: small-luxury-world : April 16th, 2013-00:57
I liked it a lot. You think it was too long? Come on we are talking about things that nobody needs anyway ... and we love to do so :-) Passion - looking at your avatar picture I would say you have a lot to share. Looking forward to your contributions! Sen...