Everything You Need to Know About the Patek Philippe Nautilus

One of the coolest watches made in steel, the Patek Philippe Nautilus is one of the most elusive watches. It is highly coveted by collectors and is a grail for many. Let’s take a closer look at the evolution of this icon and what makes it so hard to find.

A Brief History of the Nautilus

In the 1970s, the quartz crisis was in full swing and the Swiss watchmakers needed to compete. Gerald Genta launched the luxury steel sports watch category with the design of the Royal Oak Jumbo in 1972. Just a few years later, Genta recreated the success by designing the Nautilus 3700/1, launched in 1976.

As its name suggests, the design is inspired by the sea. The design of the watch takes influence from a porthole you see on an ocean liner, with the case sides mimicking the hinges of the windows. The name itself comes from the Jules Verne book, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, the ship Nautilus steered by Captain Nemo. 

This first Nautilus was a nickel-chrom-molybdenum steel alloy, able to withstand extreme temperatures and pressures, and features an integrated steel bracelet. Now celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2021, the Nautilus collection has come a long way since the first launch, with the collection featuring precious metals, gemstones, a ladies model, and added complications. Learn more about the pivotal points of the Patek Philippe history, including the Nautilus.

What Makes the Patek Nautilus So Expensive

It’s not just the long history of the Nautilus that adds to the value of the watch. The prestige, craftsmanship, and exclusivity are all factors.

Brand Prestige

The Swiss watch manufacturer has been creating watches without interruption since 1839, over 180 years. Patek Philippe is the oldest and one of the last remaining independent, family-owned manufacturers. The Stern family has owned the brand since 1932 and is committed to the advancement and quality of the watches produced.

Quality of a Patek Philippe

With its long history, the brand has perfected their vertical integrated production. Research, development, production, assembly, and hand finishings are all in-house. This includes their simplest models through to the Grand Complication models. Patek Philippe is known for its innovation. They have over 100 patents and have contributed to major developments in watchmaking including producing the first annual calendar.

Scarcity of Watches

Patek Philippe produces 140 different models across their collections, and it’s estimated that annual production is under 70,000 total watches, although this has never been confirmed by the brand. Mr. Stern estimated in 2019 that they were making around 10% of the demand for the Nautilus 5711 alone.

Each watch produced goes through rigorous standards of testing, to now be marked with the Patek Philippe quality seal. Countless hours go into each piece from start to finish.

Popular Patek Philippe Nautilus Models

While most collectors instantly think of the Nautilus 5711, there are quite a few noteworthy references in the lineup.

5712 Nautilus Moonphase

The 5712 was launched in 2006 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Nautilus collection. While it features the same case as the 5711, this complicated Nautilus offers the date, moon phase, small seconds, and power reserve indicator, positioned around the dial in a unique way. The 5712 features the blue dial, synonymous with the classic steel models. The watch is available in both rose gold, with a brown dial, and white gold with a grey dial.

Nautilus 5980 Chronograph

The Nautilus Chronograph was the first sports chronograph the brand produced, but now you can also find the 5990. The chronograph is tracked in a monocounter at 6 o’clock. It can track chronograph hours, minutes, and seconds all in one place. Thanks to the vertical clutch engaging the chronograph function, you can also run the chronograph to have a constant seconds feature. The all-steel version has been discontinued, but Patek currently produces a two-tone steel and rose gold version or a full rose gold model with a bracelet or strap. Continue reading about this ultimate sports Nautilus or read more about the Patek 5990 steel travel time chronograph, which took the place of the steel 5980.

Patek Philippe 5726 Annual Calendar Moon Phase Nautilus

The 5726 launched in 2010 and was the first steel watch to feature an annual calendar. Unlike the dial layout of the 5712, the 5726 features a clean and symmetrical layout. The day of the week and month are side-by-side at the top of the dial, mirrored with the date found at the bottom of the dial. The watch was originally produced with a black dial on a leather strap. For a brief period, the watch was available on a steel bracelet and had the option of a white dial. Today, the classic blue dial is in production on a steel bracelet and the black dial on a black strap.

Pricing

At retail and based on current pricing on the Patek Philippe website, the Patek Philippe Nautilus starts at around $29,000 for a ladies automatic steel version. The Nautilus perpetual calendar is priced just below $135,000. In fact, in 2018 the brand raised the price on all steel models by 20% in an attempt to try to discourage demand.

These models are hard to find in an authorized retailer and are just as hard to find on the secondary market. The current The 1916 Company inventory has a range of Nautilus models from $37,000 to $110,000.

Patek 5711: A Discontinued Icon

Debuting in 2006, the Patek Philippe 5711 was a redesigned, updated, version of the original 3700 model. It immediately took off with collectors and became one of the hardest watches to find in an authorized retailer. The watch was produced with a blue or white dial, with horizontal lines, hours, minutes, seconds and the date.

While simple in design, the watch is powered by the caliber 324 SC, boasting a power reserve of 45 hours, a four-spoke Gyromax balance wheel, and a Spiromax balance spring. The rotor is 21k gold with Cotes de Geneve graining, beveled edges, and finished with the Patek Philippe Seal.

The 5711 is seen as a versatile watch, even with the sporty nautical-inspired design, it is a perfect addition to a suit. The case is thin and the dial is simplistic.

In January 2021 it was announced that the 5711 is being discontinued. Thierry Stern was interviewed by The New York Times where he talked about the model being discontinued and hinted at what is next for the reference, saying the replacement will be better and quite major.

Even with the discontinued 5711, the Nautilus collection has a strong lineup of ladies’ pieces through to Grand Complications. In the New York Times interview, Mr. Stern talks about how some retailers have waitlists up to 10 years for certain models. On the secondary market, you don’t have to wait for the watch you desire, what is online is what is currently available. At The 1916 Company the global inventory is always changing, discover our current collection of Patek Philippe Nautilus models.