Patek Philippe celebrates Nautilus 40th anniversary with two limited editions in platinum and white gold
Nautilus collection from Patek Philippe house is unmistakeable for all watch lovers and watchmaking amateurs. So to celebrate the Nautilus Patek Philippe 40th anniversary the house has imagined two collector models: Nautilus Ref 5711/1P and Nautilus Ref 5976/1G.
Mythical model
To understand all Nautilus Patek Philippe model’s symbolism, you have to turn back time to 1976, the time when people worked to live rather than living to work. That’s how you can figure Philippe Stern’s mind when he took the head of the horological house and decided to create a sport watch for the first time in 137 years of creations.
So was born the first unique piece, the Nautilus Ref 3700/1A, that was resolutely innovative and yet unseen, before revolutionizing watchmaking history. The watch could resist up to 120m and made quite a sensation revealing for the first time a maritime décor, according to its creator’s passion for nautical world.
Through the decades, Nautilus models continued to evolve, changing form, size, materials and design. Then, the first Nautilus for women comes in 1980, the Roman numerals in 1996 and then leather strip with the Aquanaut in 1997. Finally, for Nautilus collection’s 30th anniversary, the design changes completely with the Ref 5980/1A, before the ladies collection in 2009. Then, to celebrate the very first Nautilus model and the 30th anniversary model, Patek Philippe creates today two new limited edition: Nautilus Ref 5711/1P and Nautilus 5976/1G.
Nautilus Ref 5711/1P
Paying homage to first Nautilus from 1976, Nautilus Ref 5711/1P will be limited to 700 watches. It reveals platinum 950 case and refers to the first watch in stainless steel, but appears to be 2mm larger. It may seem small for the eyes but makes a real difference on the wrist.
Nautilus Ref 5711/1P features inimitable silver blue hue and is built from tough and noble materials. It is different from all previous watches. Moreover, it contains Top Wesselton diamonds in the bezels at 6 o’clock. The dial was specially built for 40th anniversary too, made with 18K gold with a dark blue shade with bright/dark gradation that enhanced platinum elements. Concerning the hours, they are represented by 12 applied batons in 18k white gold, and the watch wears the discrete inscriptions “40” and “1976-2016”. The date aperture is also wider, located at 3 o’clock, in a polished 18K white gold structure.
The self-winding calibre 324 S C movement on Nautilus Ref 511/1P is a true icon for connoisseurs and a symbol of tradition and innovation thanks to its extreme precision. Then you find a 21K central rotor and other components executed by hand that you can see through the sapphire-crystal case back.
Nautilus Ref 5976/1G
This one pays homage to the special 30th anniversary model from Nautilus collection and also the first chronograph. Nautilus Ref 5976/1G is in 18K gold and limited to 1300 watches. This one is also 3.6mm wider than its predecessor.
Nautilus Ref 5976/1G highlights Nautilus-typical finissage techniques such as satin-finished bezel or matt/mirror-polished bracelet links, all executed by hand. There again the aperture date has been enlarged, as well as the counter at 6 o’clock, that is now more precise in short-time measurements. On Nautilus Ref 5976/1G you find again the counter at 12 hours on the outside: from 1 to 30 in the middle, and from 31 to 60 on the inside. Finally, the model displays Nautilus emblematic décor but this time with a discrete inscription in the upper half of the dial: “1976-40-2016”.
Again Nautilus Ref 5976/1G has a chronograph movement that is wound automatically by a heavy 21K gold central motor, as well as a instantaneous date change and antimagnetic and corrosion-resistant properties.
Both 40th anniversary editions are delivered in an anniversary box, the very same as in 1976 but with a steel plaque on the front side with “Nautilus” inscription and Patek Philippe logo. The models should be sold respectively at 113 400$ for Nautilus Ref 5711/1P and 90.000$ for Nautilus Ref 5976/1G.
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