Vintage 1970s Patek Philippe Ellipse 3546 18K WG Blue-Grey Dial Manual 27mm

Used⌚️ Watches · 1960s–90s

The edit · Watches

A used watch in blue, from the 1970s. A mechanical watch from these decades was built to be repaired, not replaced. Patina on the dial and a bracelet softened to the wrist are earned, not defects.

The last word in watchmaking.

Founded in Geneva in 1839 by Antoine Norbert de Patek and later Adrien Philippe, inventor of the keyless winding crown. Patek is the house behind the Calatrava, the Nautilus and the perpetual calendar.

Patek sits at the very top of the vintage market. Its complication watches, calendars, chronographs and world timers, are blue-chip collectibles. You never actually own a Patek Philippe, you merely look after it for the next generation.

What to look for

Papers and an extract from the archive matter enormously. Check the movement number against the case, and be wary of redialling; an original dial is a large share of the value.

Check the case back and movement markings, and whether the crown winds cleanly. A service history doubles the value of any mechanical watch.