Patek Philippe 3796R - 1995 - Pink On Pink - Box, Books, Papers

Patek Philippe Reference 3796R — Pink on Pink with Heures Relief Dial

A Neo-Vintage Calatrava That Honors Tradition with Exceptional Warmth and Character

TECHNICAL SUMMARY

All details are documented and disclosed to the best of our scholarly and technical ability.

TIMEPIECE IDENTIFICATION

• Brand: Patek Philippe
• Reference Number: 3796R
• Case Number: 2’964’829
• Movement Number: 1’846’422
• Unique Features: Pink on Pink – Rose gold case with matching rose dial and heures relief or configuration

MECHANICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Movement Type: Manual
• Caliber Number: 215 PS (petite seconde / small seconds)
• Complications: Time-only
• Jewels: 18
• Frequency (vph): 28,800
• Power Reserve: Approximately 44 hours
• Diameter: 21.9 mm
• Thickness: ~2.55 mm
• Water Resistance Per Manufacturer: Originally water-resistant via pressure-fit caseback; no contemporary test conducted

DIMENSIONS & MATERIALS

• Case Diameter: 31 mm
• Case Material: 18k Pink Gold
• Bezel Type / Material: Polished fixed bezel in pink gold
• Crystal Type: Sapphire
• Lug Width: 16 mm
• Strap or Bracelet Material: Black leather (J&L quick release)
• Strap or Bracelet Color: Black
• Buckle Type and Material: Authentic Patek Philippe period-correct pink gold tang buckle

AESTHETIC CHARACTERISTICS

• Dial Color: Rose (rosé)
• Indices: Heures relief or (raised gilt hour markers)
• Hand Style: Dauphine
• Caseback Style: Snapback, solid
• Engravings: None

DOCUMENTATION & ACCESSORIES

• Original Box: Yes
• Original Papers: Yes. Includes Certificat d’origine, Registered Guarantee Card, Patek Warranty Card (Japanese), and Patek Service Card (Japanese)
• Extract from the Archives: No
• Other Included Accessories: Large Patek Philippe binder, standard Patek wallet

SERVICE HISTORY

• Last Serviced When: Unknown
• Serviced By Whom: Unknown
• Type of Service Performed: Unknown

CONDITION & AUTHENTICITY

• Condition Summary: WRISTORIAN Grade. Very Good, with all visible components original and unaltered
• Authenticity: All visible components verified as original

• Maintenance, Service, or Restoration Disclosure:
• Original strap removed during importation due to CITES exotic leather restrictions
• Current strap is a high-quality J&L leather strap with quick-release functionality
• Buckle is authentic Patek Philippe in pink gold, showing only light surface wear

PROVENANCE & PRODUCTION CONTEXT

• Year of Production: 1995
• Production Period: Reference 3796 was produced from 1982 to approximately 2006
• Provenance / Ownership History: Originally sold on July 27th, 1995

WRISTORIAN’s Perspective

To call the 3796R a “Calatrava” is to understate the quiet mastery behind it. While it adheres to the classic codes of the reference 96, the original Calatrava launched in 1932, the 3796 is not a replica. It is a reverent continuation, brought into the modern mechanical era with subtle refinements and nearly invisible upgrades. The result is one of the most classically composed, philosophically consistent timepieces in Patek Philippe’s late 20th-century catalog.

This example, case number 2’964’829 with movement number 1’846’422, was manufactured in April 1995 and sold that July. It pairs an 18k pink gold case with a rosé-colored dial—what collectors affectionately refer to as “pink on pink.” The dial layout features raised gold hour markers in the heures relief or configuration, paired with dauphine hands and a delicate small seconds subdial at six o’clock. The warm tonality and subtlety of this pairing produce a visual quietude rarely found in more overtly decorative timepieces.

With a 31 mm diameter, the case proportions remain faithful to Patek Philippe’s pre-2000 design philosophy: elegance through restraint. The polished bezel, flat lugs, and snapback case construction reflect the elegant simplicity of mid-century design while preserving its original form. The manual-wind caliber 215 beats at 28,800 vph, a modern upgrade over earlier iterations and a testament to the house’s evolving standards of accuracy in the late 20th century. While the movement is hidden beneath a solid back, the interior finishing is well-documented: anglage, perlage, and Côtes de Genève all executed to Geneva Seal standards.

Originally imported with a Patek Philippe exotic leather strap, this timepiece now wears a black J&L quick-release strap due to CITES restrictions. The original strap was removed to comply with international regulations prohibiting the cross-border shipment of endangered species materials. While not original to the timepiece, the current strap is thoughtfully chosen to preserve wearability and aesthetic cohesion. The buckle, however, remains authentic and is a period-correct Patek Philippe tang buckle in matching pink gold, exhibiting only minor surface wear.

Documentation is abundant. This timepiece retains its original box, Certificat d’origine, guarantee and warranty cards (including Japanese-market documentation), and a Patek Philippe service card. It is also accompanied by a large Patek binder with a Plastic Protective Sleeve and a smaller branded wallet. Small gestures of completeness speak to the care with which it was originally sold and retained.

This is not merely a dress timepiece. It is a reference for how Patek Philippe extended the Calatrava legacy into the modern age without abandoning its roots. There is a symmetry of philosophy at work here: the design is timeless, the execution modern, and the ownership experience quietly gratifying.

CONCLUSION

The 3796R is not a Calatrava that shouts. It is the one that speaks most clearly to what the reference has always stood for: proportion, purity, and lasting value. This particular example, with its pink-on-pink warmth and richly preserved documentation, offers a meaningful bridge between vintage sensibility and modern confidence.

Some timepieces fit the wrist. Others fit the collector. This one does both.

Each WRISTORIAN timepiece is delivered with understated elegance, a rigorous scholarly dossier, and a clear account of its condition, originality, and any prior intervention, to the extent permitted by available evidence and expert review.