Beschreibung:

Patek Philippe. A fine and very rare stainless steel automatic wristwatch with date, bracelet and cork box Signed Patek Philippe, ref. 3700/1, Nautilus model, movement no. 1'306'820, case no. 538'493, manufactured in 1978 Movement: cal. 28-255, automatic, 36 jewels, Geneva Seal, signed Dial: signed Case: two-part secured by 4 screws in the band, 42 mm. wide, signed With: stainless steel Patek Philippe bracelet with deployant clasp, overall length approximately 185 mm., Extract from the Archives confirming production of the present watch in 1978 and its subsequent sale on 13 December 1979, and original cork presentation box Provenance Prince Nicholas Romanov (1922-2014) Thence by direct descent to the present owner Nicholas Romanov , Prince of Russia (26 September 1922–15 September 2014) Prince Nicholas was the head of the House of Romanov and President of the Romanov Family Association as a direct descendant of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia. He was born in Cap d'Antibes, France, the eldest son of Prince Roman Petrovich (1896-1978) and his wife Princess Praskovia Dimitrievna (née Countess Sheremeteva). The Sheremetev family was one of the wealthiest and most influential noble families in Russia, holding many high commanding ranks in the Russian military, governorships and eventually the title of Count of the Russian Empire. The village of Sheremetevo, which in turn gave its name to the Sheremetyevo International Airport, is named after the family. Prince Nicholas’ father, Prince Roman Petrovich, was the only son of Grand Duke Peter Nicolaievich (1861-1931) and Grand Duchess Militsa Nikolaievna (née Princess of Montenegro). His grandfather was the younger son of Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich (1831-1891) and Grand Duchess Alexandra Petrovna (née Duchess of Oldenburg). His great grandfather Nicholas Nikolaevich was a younger son of Emperor Nicholas I of Russia and Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna (née Princess Charlotte of Prussia) and founded the Nikolaevichi branch of the Russian Imperial Family. Prince Nicholas led the Romanov family at the funeral in St. Petersburg of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his family in July 1998 and also at the reburial of the remains of the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna in Russia in September 2006. On 21 January 1952, Prince Nicholas and the Countess Sveva della Gherardesca, a member of the Italian della Gherardesca noble family from Tuscany and a direct descendant of Count Ugolino della Gherardesca, married in Cannes by a religious ceremony in the Russian Cathedral. Prince Nicholas was a history connoisseur, writer, refined watercolourist, CEO of the family farm, President of the Italian Cattle Breeders Association, well known international figure and President of the Gstaad Eagle Club. He and his wife lived in Rougemont, Switzerland, for several months every year. He died in Bolgheri, Tuscany, on the 15th September 2014 at the age of 92.