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Patek Philippe 3738 - Jumbo Ellipse

Details

The Ellipse in full gold

This Patek Philippe Ellipse is the model the way it was meant to be worn. Automatic movement, champagne dial, and full 18k yellow gold bracelet. Clean, balanced, and unmistakably Patek from the late seventies. It's not trying to reinvent the Ellipse. It is simply doing it correctly.

Why this configuration matters

The 3738 is one of the core Ellipse references. The proportions are right, the case is slim, and the automatic movement keeps it practical without changing the elegance of the design. The champagne dial keeps everything cohesive against the yellow gold case and bracelet. The integrated 18k bracelet is what separates this from strap examples. It turns the watch into a complete object rather than just a dress head on leather. This is the Ellipse as a piece of jewelry and watchmaking combined, exactly how Patek positioned it in the catalog at the time.

What you need to know

Condition is very good throughout. The dial is excellent. The bracelet is excellent and wears well within its size range. The glass is clean. The case presents well with normal wear consistent with age. Mechanically, the watch is running strong after passing by our test bench

A proper vintage Ellipse

This is a straightforward, well-preserved Ellipse in one of its most classic forms. No experiments, no unusual dial, no compromises. Just a solid 3738 with the right bracelet and strong overall presentation. For someone who wants a vintage Patek that is elegant, wearable, and easy to live with, this one checks the right boxes.
Key Specs

Reference: 3738

Model: Ellipse

Year: 1977

Movement: Automatic

Case Size: 30 × 35mm

Bezel: 18k yellow gold

Bracelet: Integrated 18k yellow gold bracelet

Dial: Champagne

Wrist Size: Fits 6.7–6.9 inches

SKU: 102

History

In 1968, Patek Philippe introduced the Golden Ellipse — a watch whose case dimensions were derived from the golden ratio, the mathematical proportion found in classical architecture and nature. The result is a case that looks neither circular nor rectangular but occupies a gravitational middle ground that is immediately recognizable and impossible to imitate convincingly.

The Ellipse arrived at the right moment: the late 1960s were a time of geometric experimentation in watchmaking, but most attempts at "design watches" aged badly. The Ellipse aged better than almost anything from its era because its proportions were grounded in mathematics rather than trend.

References across our inventory span the 1970s through 1990s: ref 3566, 3567, 3748, 4266/905, and various numbered references in yellow gold, white gold, and platinum. Dials in blue, brown, onyx, champagne, and malachite all appear. The integrated bracelet versions are particularly prized — a Patek with a bracelet is a rare and serious thing.