Wristwatches · Wristwatch
Patek Philippe Ellipse TV, ref. 3604, circa 1978
- Maker / attribution
- Patek Philippe (maker)
- Date
- c. 1978
- Historical period
- Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
- Country of origin
- Switzerland
- Object type
- Wristwatch
- Dimensions
- Diameter 36 mm
- Stock no.
- CUR21
- Credit line
- Dealer listing, Watches of Knightsbridge (CUR21)
- Catalogue title (original)
- Patek Philippe Ellipse TV 3604 (English)
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Record summary
Catalogued by Watches of Knightsbridge (dealer), London (stock number CUR21), this is a wristwatch by Patek Philippe, made in Switzerland, dated c. 1978. The Atlas places it in the Quartz Revolution period (1969 – 1990) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Diameter 36 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.
Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.
Catalogue description
Dealer description — Watches of Knightsbridge
Launched in 1968, the original Golden Ellipse design was influenced by the so-called “golden section” discovered by ancient Greek mathematicians and whose “divine” proportions inspired numerous artistic and architectural masterpieces throughout the centuries. By the late 70s, the Golden Ellipse collection encompassed more than 60 different references, from large masculine watches to diamond encrusted ladies’ pieces. The Ellipse is now the second oldest model in Patek Philippe’s collection still in production after the Calatrava. The “TV-Screen” Ellipse, reference 3604 was produced in the late 1970s. The 18k solid white gold case design is further enhanced by its shimmering silver “hobnail” sigma dial, which is complemented by onyx inland white gold indices & hands. The use of calibre 28-255C, the same movement that powered the first Nautilus, enables the case to be extremely thin while enjoying the easy use of an automatic calibre with date function. The watch is complimented by its original leather strap and white gold Ellipse pin buckle. Overall the condition of the watch is excellent and appears to have been rarely worn over the decades. The is a rare model, especially in white gold with this stunning dial combination, and one that evokes the 1970s period.
Specifications — Watches of Knightsbridge
Reference: 3604; Movement: Self-Winding Calibre 28-255C; Case diameter: 36mm; Bracelet/strap: Original PP Leather, White Gold Pin Buckle
Historical context
Quartz Revolution (1969 – 1990)
Seiko's Astron begins mass quartz timekeeping; traditional industries contract sharply.
Quartz and digital watches transformed the market after 1969. Swiss employment collapsed, Japanese and Hong Kong production soared, and the Swatch (1983) helped the Swiss industry recover; mechanical watches survived as luxury goods.
Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Modern Mechanical Horology
Atlas type guide
Wristwatches
Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.
After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.
What to look for
- The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
- The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
- Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
- Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.
Dating clues
- Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
- Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
- Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.
General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.
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