The story of the Patek Philippe Nautilus
Patek Philippe's own president retired its most wanted steel watch because, he said, there were too many Nautiluses out there; after the news, the discontinued reference changed hands for CHF 100,000 or more.
Chapters
- 2021 to 2022Green, blue and goodbye
Thierry Stern confirmed in 2021 that the blue 5711 would end, saying he was protecting the brand rather than one product. An olive green farewell and a 170-piece Tiffany Blue edition followed, and all 5711 references left Patek's website in early 2022.
- 2009 to 2018Genta returns, calendars arrive
In 2009 Gerald Genta worked with Patek Philippe again on a new Ladies' Nautilus. At Baselworld 2018 the 5740G became the first Nautilus with a perpetual calendar.
- 2006 to 2018The 5711 takes over
For the 30th anniversary in 2006, the 5711 updated the 3700 with a central seconds hand and a slightly larger case. A white dial came in 2012, and a 700-piece platinum version marked the 40th anniversary in 2016.
- 1981 to 2006The smaller sibling
The 37.5 mm reference 3800 arrived in 1981 and ran for some 25 years in four series, gaining a quick-set date in 1987. Most were steel or gold; only 13 white gold examples are known.
- 1976 to 1980Steel against the quartz tide
Patek Philippe released the 3700/001 as a steel sports watch answering the quartz crisis. At 42 mm it was big enough to earn the nickname Jumbo.
Worn by
He was photographed swimming in the sea in Barbados wearing a Nautilus Perpetual Calendar 5740G.
He wore a Nautilus 5740G at a Toronto club the night the Raptors won the 2019 NBA Championship.
The Daily Show host wore a 5740G on the YouTube show Hot Ones; he also owns a rose gold 5711.
She wore a rose gold Ladies Automatic Nautilus at the Los Angeles premiere of Spider-Man: No Way Home in December 2021.
The NBA guard wore a diamond-set Nautilus to the Met Gala in New York in September 2021.
The Hollywood Reporter names him among the owners of the Tiffany Blue dial 5711, the final version of the reference.
He is also named by The Hollywood Reporter as an owner of the Tiffany Blue 5711.
The film executive wore a Nautilus at the Allen and Company Sun Valley conference in 2021.
Ed Sheeran owns a Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726 with his initials. George Bamford made a custom dial for each of his albums.
Moments
2021. In Monaco in July 2021, Antiquorum sold a factory-sealed olive green 5711/1A-014 for 416,000 euros against a 50,000 to 150,000 estimate.
2021. The very first 5711 with a Tiffany Blue dial sold for 6.5 million dollars at Phillips in New York in December 2021, with all proceeds going to The Nature Conservancy. It was the most valuable watch ever sold online at auction.
2021. Stern apologised to upset clients and said he hoped they would understand and forgive him in five or ten years.
2019. Drake watched the Toronto Raptors clinch the 2019 NBA Championship in a Toronto club with a Nautilus Perpetual Calendar on his wrist.
Generations and strap changes
- 2022Ref. 5811/1G
The 5711 successor came only in white gold, with the case grown from 40mm to 41mm.
New fold-over clasp with a micro-adjustment that extends the fit by 2 to 4mm.
- 2010Ref. 5726A Annual Calendar
The Annual Calendar arrived on a leather strap, with a bracelet version following in 2012.
Launched on leather; bracelet version added in 2012.
- 2006Ref. 5711
For the 30th anniversary the men's case moved from two parts to three, and the Ref. 5711 was launched.
- 1998First complication
Ref. 3710/1A added a winding zone indicator, the first complicated Nautilus.
- 1996First leather strap
Ref. 3800/1JA brought a Roman numeral dial, and the same year saw the first Nautilus model on a leather strap.
First Nautilus offered on a leather strap instead of the integrated bracelet.
- 1981Midsize 3800
A midsize Nautilus arrived as Ref. 3800/1, alongside Ref. 3900/1.
- 1980Ladies' Nautilus
The first ladies' Nautilus, Ref. 4700/51J, was introduced.
- 1976Ref. 3700/1A Jumbo
The first Nautilus, in steel and water resistant to 120 m, stayed in the collection until 1990.
Came on an integrated solid steel bracelet with matt and gloss finishes.