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Royal Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim spotted wearing Patek Philippe

The Crown Prince of Johor was recently photographed wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700 in 18K yellow gold with a factory diamond-set bezel — a configuration so scarce that even seasoned Patek collectors rarely encounter one in the metal. The sighting is a reminder that Tunku Ismail's horological eye extends well beyond the modern era's headline references.

Patek Philippe introduced the Nautilus ref. 3700 in 1976 as the manufacture's answer to the luxury sports watch category that Audemars Piguet had opened with the Royal Oak four years earlier. Gérald Genta's porthole-inspired case — eight-sided bezel with integrated bracelet — was considered audacious for a house of Patek's conservative standing. The ref. 3700 was produced until 1990, powered by the calibre 28-255 C, a thin, automatic movement based on the Jaeger-LeCoultre 920 ebauche and finished to Patek's exacting standards. This yellow gold example features the ribbed black dial with applied luminous gold hour markers and luminous baton hands that defined the model's original aesthetic, here elevated by a bezel set with brilliant-cut diamonds from the factory — not an aftermarket addition, which is critical to value and authenticity.

Among first-generation Nautilus collectors, yellow gold ref. 3700 examples occupy a different tier from the more commonly encountered stainless steel versions. The diamond-bezel variant narrows the field further still; production numbers were tiny, and survivors in original, unpolished condition with matching bracelet are genuinely rare. This is the kind of piece that emerges from private collections and estates rather than dealer inventory, and its appearance on a living, wearing wrist is noteworthy in itself.

Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, Crown Prince of Johor, has built a public profile as one of the most knowledgeable royal collectors in Asia. His selections consistently reflect a preference for historically significant references rather than simply expensive ones — a distinction that separates a collection from an accumulation.

On the current market, an 18K yellow gold Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700 with diamond-set bezel in strong original condition commands approximately $150,000, reflecting both the scarcity of the configuration and the enduring blue-chip status of the first-generation Nautilus across all global auction platforms.