Chromatic Fugue
1903
Thanks everyone for the help so far
Let me focus the discussion by asking the following question. Does anyone here know whether 3140s made after, say, 2000 sometimes have the type of dial shown here, with the serif on the “J” and the sigma below the dot track? Does anyone have such a watch? I’m wondering whether I have an authentic 3940 with mismatched/inauthentic papers. Obviously I could match the watch to the papers if I could see the movement number, but because this is a platinum model — no display back! — I can’t do that without opening the case, which I’m loath to do.
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3940 dial question
My favorite of my watches is this 3940P, which I bought from a very reputable dealer a couple of years ago, with box and papers dated 2006: Here’s my question. In certain hardly noticeable respects, this dial is different from others I’ve seen from the sa...
Lovely watch
That’s a great shot of a classic watch. I can’t recall what year my 3940P is from, but it looks a lot like yours — and the dial features you note are the same. ...
Don't obsess too much...
...this goes into the 'if I could only have one watch' category : )
A very good question.
Not the best photo, because it reflects the yellow paint on the walls of the room. Here’s a better shot. ...
First of all, beautiful watch! I suggest you focus on the date of manufacture, not the date of sale on the Certificate. The watch may have been sold
years after the date of manufacture. The fact that the moonphase is blue/yelllow, not silver/black would tend to indicate this. For many years Patek used a 4 letter code in the lower left corner of the Certificate to indicate the date of manufacture. The ...
Fascinating!
Mine says PTPR, which by your code means Feb. 2006, just four months before the watch was sold to its original owner.
Thanks everyone for the help so far
Let me focus the discussion by asking the following question. Does anyone here know whether 3140s made after, say, 2000 sometimes have the type of dial shown here, with the serif on the “J” and the sigma below the dot track? Does anyone have such a watch?...
I agree with your concerns.
This dial is extremely unlikely for a 2006 piece. It was used in the beginning of the 90s. However, I would expect that Patek would change it for a period correct dial during service if you explicitly ask for this. Maybe the best solition, as you are havi...
While I am not familiar enough with the nuances of the 3940 dial variations to comment on that, I have a general rule which I follow, which is:
If I am buying a pre-owned Patek with a solid back, I will have Patek remove the back to make sure that the case and movement numbers match the Certificate/Extract. Related, on any pre-owned Patek I buy without any paperwork, I have an understanding with ...
unsettling postscript to this thread
After getting helpful feedback from this group, I went back to the well-known company that sold me this "full kit" 3940P with 2006 papers. I noted the discrepancy between the second-series dial and the third-series date on the papers and asked whether per...
Thanks for sharing your story !
Lesson to be learned by others in terms of due diligence work must be done by oneself ! 👍