4 Marvelous Patek Philippe Nautilus Watches That You Need

The Patek Philippe Nautilus was created by renowned watch designer Gerald Genta, who was hired to save Patek from the ravages of the quartz watch crisis. The watchmaker’s vision for the brand-saving Nautilus: an ocean-inspired luxury watch that is both stylish and durable enough to be worn anywhere. The Nautilus, which was initially criticized for being too modern, was a huge success.

The Nautilus, like many classics, was not universally acclaimed when it debuted in 1976. With its larger size and stainless steel rather than a gold case, the design was a dramatic shift from Patek’s existing range. The ‘ears’ on the side of the case (style of the porthole hinge of a mega yacht), the large octagonal bezel, and the brilliant Black-Blue dial with horizontal streaks are the defining elements of the original Nautilus design.

1. Patek Philippe 5711 Nautilus

One of the marvelous Patek Philippe Nautilus watches is the Patek Philippe 5711 Nautilus or Patek Philippe Nautilus 40^th Anniversary 5711/1P Platinum watch. The case and bracelet are made entirely of 950 platinum, and the watch is studded with diamonds. Applying baguette-cut diamonds as hour markers is a classy and masculine technique for when you want to convey wealth while remaining a little more under-the-radar. At 44.05mm wide, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1P is also bigger than most Nautilus watches. Water-resistance remains at 120 meters, the same as in previous Nautilus models. The interesting, in-house-made caliber 324 S C automatic movement is housed within the 5711 Patek Philippe Nautilus. It’s a very capable and dependable daily wear, thanks to a lot of Patek’s in-house technology. The movement has 213 parts and runs at 4Hz (28,800bph) with Patek’s Spiromax balance wheel and approximately 40 hours of power reserve. It’s also a rather slim movement, measuring only 3.3mm thick.

2. Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph 5990/1A

The “travel time” portion of the name comes, as it is one of Patek Philippe’s more innovative approaches. Patek has used two hour hands to track the two different time zones. The skeletonized one keeps track of your home time zone, whereas the solid one keeps track of the local hour. This accomplishes two tasks very efficiently. Patek Philippe incorporated a chronograph complication, with the 60-minute register located at 6 o’clock on the dial, balancing the date display at 12. They had to develop a new movement for this combination of complications, the caliber CH 28-520 C FUS, which integrates the column wheel chronograph with the travel time function. In the middle of this is a one-of-a-kind clutch (created in 1959) that separates the gear train while also facilitating bi-directional adjustment.

3. Nautilus 40th Anniversary 5976/1G

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 40th Anniversary 5976/1G is limited to 1,300 pieces and comes in a massive 49.25-millimeter-wide 18-karat white gold case. No matter how you look at it, 50 millimeters wide is a large size for any modern luxury watch, not just a Patek Philippe. Things look a little different when you consider the case’s 10-to-4 o’clock diagonal measurement, which is a far more reasonable 44 millimeters, while the 5976/1G measures 49.60 millimeters lug-to-lug. Most 42 millimeter-wide round watches have this kind of lug-to-lug size. Because 42mm was large for a watch at the time, it easily got the nickname “Jumbo.” Its purpose was to be a thematic sequel to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak (from 1972), which launched the era of the luxury steel sports watch. Gerald Genta, the late iconic watch designer, designed both the Royal Oak and the Nautilus. Patek Philippe’s CH 28-520C flyback chronograph caliber with automatic winding and a date at 3 o’clock powers the limited-edition Patek Philippe Nautilus 40th Anniversary 5976/1G. The CH 28-520C, which operates at 4 Hertz, has a power reserve of 45 to 55 hours, which is replenished by a 21k gold automatic winding rotor.

4. Nautilus Chronograph 5980/1A-019

As borders between the elements on the dial, Patek Philippe creates very distinct separation zones with Nautilus Chronograph 5980/1A-019. Because Patek Philippe used deep black edges on the hands and applied hour markers – even though their centers are white – high contrast is maintained on the dial of this Nautilus model. It creates a beautiful, legible appearance while still retaining its ability to see in the dark. The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980 is powered by a Patek Philippe caliber CH 28-520 C automatic chronograph movement made in-house. The movement and its gold rotor are visible through a sapphire crystal on the back of the watch. It’s a fabulous and decorated movement with a lovely three-dimensional quality thanks to the bridges. Its bracelet has lovely polished center links and beautifully beveled brushed links. This is an excellent use of steel in a high-end luxury timepiece.

Takeaway

Patek Philippe has been producing watches continuously for 177 years, resulting in a vast amount of experience that is passed down from one generation of watchmakers to the next. They have mastered every aspect of fine watchmaking, from the hand-winding two-hand watch to sophisticated masterpieces with minute repeaters, tourbillons, and split-seconds chronographs. Masterful artisan craftsmanship is inextricably linked to the use of modern, high-tech machinery. It’s a good idea to have a Patek Philippe Nautilus.