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Entrepreneur Nusret Gökçe Saltbae spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Nusret Gökçe, the Turkish chef and entrepreneur whose salt-sprinkling theatrics turned him into a global social media phenomenon, was recently photographed wearing a vintage Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 3700 in 18K yellow gold with a black dial, dating to approximately 1980. For a man who built an empire on spectacle, the choice of watch is surprisingly — and impressively — grounded in horological substance.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700 is the founding reference of one of watchmaking's most consequential lineages. Designed by Gerald Genta and introduced in 1976, the Nautilus was a deliberate provocation: a luxury Swiss watch in a steel sports case, priced above what the market expected and shaped like a porthole with integrated bracelet. It polarized the industry on arrival and became a cornerstone of modern watchmaking within a decade. The ref. 3700 ran in various configurations until 1990, with the yellow gold version representing a more opulent interpretation of Genta's original vision. It houses the calibre 28-255 C automatic movement, a slim self-winding ebauche based on the Jaeger-LeCoultre 920, beating at 19,800 vph with a 38-hour power reserve.

For collectors, a ref. 3700 in 18K yellow gold with a black dial is a serious find. These yellow gold examples were produced in far smaller numbers than the stainless steel references, and an aged black dial from this era — with the characteristic tropical browning and lume patina that develops over four decades — commands immediate attention at auction. Provenance, dial condition, and originality of bracelet are the key value drivers.

Salt Bae has cultivated a personal brand built on excess and visibility, with restaurants from Istanbul to New York and a clientele of footballers, celebrities, and heads of state. His watch choices have reflected that world — but this Nautilus 3700 suggests a genuine collector's eye, or at minimum, excellent advice. It sits quietly on the wrist while saying everything.

On today's grey market, a yellow gold Nautilus ref. 3700 in strong condition with an aged dial regularly trades at or above the $100,000 mark, with exceptional examples pushing considerably higher at specialist auction houses. Retail is long obsolete — this is a vintage piece acquired through dealers or auction.