A solid eighteen carat Patek Philippe on alligator band with Ellipse buckle retailed by Beyer. This elegant timepiece is an example of Patek quality and elegance at its finest. This very clean and elegant slightly angled oval design is said to originate from the “golden ratio” derived by ancient Greek mathematicians. The Patek Philippe Ellipse model was Introduced into the Patek line in 1968, it still remains a very popular reference today, offered in a number of sizes, dial colors and configurations. However, this rather rare model appears to also take a design cue from the now iconic "Nautellipse", reference 3770.

The 3770 was launched in 1980 and was an oddball marriage of the Nautlils and the Ellipse. The two most successful Patek designs of the time. Whereas this piece is NOT that model, it is very clear to see that this child of the 1980's was a direct design descendant from that pariah. The frame of the case is very similar to that of the b=hybrid design, although in this example there is a braided rope pattern bezel framing the crystal. The lugs that hold the band are very much like that of the Ellipse model, and the dial is exactly the same. The folded edge original alligator band is present, and again, the same as the Ellipse band, and the original solid eighteen carat yellow gold Ellipse pi buckle is found on this watch.

On each side of the "SWISS" at the foot of the dial are a flanking pair of “sigma” letters just below the 6 o’clock marker. This was a sign chosen by members of the l’Association pour la Promotion Industrielle de l’Or (APRIOR). In 1973, a charge led by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry had a clear mission: to highlight the usage of gold parts in order to enhance the perceived intrinsic value of the traditional watch. One must remember the exact context of what was going on in the Swiss watch industry at the time. Mechanical watches were about to become technically obsolete as quartz movements were on the rise – in a world facing a strong economic recession, no less. And what better way to underline the deeper value of the good old mechanical watches than by mentioning their intrinsically valuable components? The ‘sum-of-the-parts’ logic here might sound twisted at first, but it becomes much less so when correlated to the skyrocketing price of gold, which almost quintupled between 1970 and 1974.

The sigma symbols were to indicate that the hands and indexes on a watch were made of solid gold. “A watch signed with the sigma is a durable investment,” emphasized the APRIOR in marketing campaigns. There are exceptions to the 1973 rule, as Rolex watches of this caliber can be found from around 1970; but with regards to this watch, and to other very high end Swiss watches from the period, the addition of the sigma letter means gold.

The dial is a glorious metallic navy blue characteristic of the Ellipses found in larger case sizes. The printing of the “Patek” name and “Swiss” at the foot of the dial are all in white serif font, which pops off the dial. The dial is in perfect, original condition. The hands are very special on this watch and made to reflect the braided bezel, since they are eighteen carat yellow gold rope like design. There was never any luminous material applied to the dial, as is consistent with watches of this elegant design. The watch is powered by Patek’s snaller manually wound caliber 16-250 movement that is everything one comes to expect from hand wound Patek movements. It is as sturdy and reliable as it is beautiful to look at. This powered a number of the brand’s ladies watches from this period, that were not quartz.

This piece would have been designed toward the mid/end of the 1980s. The case and leather band are in excellent condition throughout and are presented unpolished with the hallmarks still stamped into the side of the case. Inside the case back are all the correct stamps, hallmarks that are expected along withe the unique serial number and refernce number of 4431.

This example, aside from being in superb condition and very rare, has one additional crowning feature; the dial is co-signed by Swiss watch retailer Beyer. The Beyer watch company based in Zurich has a rich and illustrious over two hundred and sixty year history that is still prevalent today. Beyer added their name to many top tier names in the watch business that were retailed out of their locations. The list comprises of many illustrious names like IWC, Omega, and of course, Patek Philippe. These Beyer signed Patek watches are few and far between, especially ladies models.

Overall, this Patek is a very beautiful and very rare watch. If you are looking for something refined, elegant and striking, it is difficult to think of a better piece. The images do not do justice to the beauty of the blue. In dark light it appears almost navy blue. In direct sunlight it is a metallic aqua.

The watch does not come with the original box or paperwork. Its service history is unknown, but it is keeping superb time