How Patek Philippe’s Nautilus Became the World’s Most Coveted Luxury Sportswatch

It was with the launch of the Patek Philippe Ref. 4700/51 in 1980, followed by the Ref. 3800/1 the next year, that the Nautilus began to gain traction. The former was dedicated to ladies and styled differently, with fully polished surfaces and a glossy dial. The latter was more modestly sized at 37.5mm, and was equipped with Patek Philippe’s in-house Caliber 335 SC with a centrally mounted sweeping seconds. These additions to the Nautilus line increased its appeal to a broader audience. Over the next 17 years, Patek Philippe introduced design variations of the Ref. 3800, growing its popularity with yellow gold models bearing champagne or cream ceramic dials, and a two-toned steel-and-gold model from 1996 for the Nautilus’s 20th anniversary.

The next series of Nautilus watches included Refs. 3711 and 3712, both of which were briefly in the catalogues before being replaced by Refs. 5711 and 5712 on the Nautilus’s 30th anniversary. The latter watch, with its analogue date counter, moonphase display and power reserve indication is a highlight with its eccentric dial design. This triple display design has appeared in various Patek Philippe collections, including the Calatrava and Cubitus lines. Beyond these complications, Patek Philippe also introduced chronographs and calendar models within the Nautilus, ranging from annual to perpetual calendars.

The success of the Nautilus followed the tech boom of the early 2000s. As the dotcom era turned young technopreneurs into overnight millionaires, they sought ways to spend their newfound wealth. The Nautilus, long favoured by Wall Street, became a symbol of success in the 21st century. Recognisable yet discreet and utilitarian in style, it is also a rarity. At auction houses, the Nautilus watch gained in value, with double-signed dials the most coveted among bidders.

In recent years, the Nautilus has undergone a revamp in design. The original two-part case construction had changed to a three-part design for better after-sales maintenance. With a new innovation for the crown’s fit, the two-part case was returning along with a new Caliber 26-330 and reference number. To commemorate the Ref. 5711’s long-lived presence in the Nautilus collection, a special 170th anniversary edition double-signed Nautilus was presented with a robin’s egg blue dial, and is one of the most expensive Nautilus watches ever sold at auction. In addition, as more complications have appeared in the collection, these Nautilus references are clad in precious metals like platinum and rose gold. Today, the Ref. 5726 Nautilus with Annual Calendar and Moon Phases, Ref. 5990/1A-011 Nautilus with Flyback Chronograph and Travel Time, and Ref. 7118 Ladies’ Nautilus are available in steel.

In the area of technical watchmaking, the number of high complications in Patek Philippe’s sports watch collections remains modest. The most complicated Nautilus in its current catalogue is the Nautilus with Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5740/1G-001, which is fitted with the Caliber 240 Q and is an ultra-thin model at just 8.42mm thick. With the 50th anniversary of the Nautilus this year, and a Grand Exhibition scheduled in Europe later this summer, the months ahead will be closely watched by Patek Philippe enthusiasts.