Patek Philippe Nautilus, the grail watch and the story of the 5711

There are watches you know, and there are watches that become the emblem of an entire longing. The Patek Philippe Nautilus belongs to the second group. For years it was the watch the whole world talked about, the object of waiting lists and superlatives. In the atelier the Nautilus is the watch asked about most often, with a certain light in the eyes. This guide shows where it comes from, why the 5711 in particular became a legend, and what really matters when you buy.

The history, Genta and the porthole

The Nautilus appeared in 1976, designed by Gérald Genta, the same designer who a few years earlier had drawn the Royal Oak for Audemars Piguet. The inspiration was a ship's porthole, and that origin is still visible in the watch today. The rounded, octagonal case and the two lateral hinges, which recall the fasteners of a porthole, are its unmistakable signature. The first reference, the 3700, was large for its time at 42 millimetres and soon carried the nickname Jumbo. From the start Patek positioned the Nautilus as a luxurious sports watch in steel, at a price unusually high for a steel watch. With that the founding idea was set, the one that would carry the Nautilus through the decades.

What defines the Nautilus

The character of the Nautilus lies in a few clearly defined elements. The rounded octagonal case, the lateral hinges, the horizontally embossed dial with its fine ribbing, and the seamlessly integrated bracelet that flows from the case as if cast in one piece. This design joins sporting robustness to an almost elegant refinement, and exactly that mixture is its appeal. The Nautilus is sporty enough to be worn casually and fine enough to suit a suit. Like few other watches it moves effortlessly between worlds. Its proportions and surfaces have been refined over the decades without the basic form ever being touched.

The 5711, rise and end

No reference stands for the Nautilus the way the 5711 does. It appeared in 2006 as the successor to the previous generation, with a slim case of 40 millimetres and the famous blue, horizontally embossed dial. Over the years it grew from a valued classic into the object of an unprecedented longing. Demand outstripped availability so far that the 5711 traded on the secondary market at a multiple of its list price, and waiting lists exceeded any realistic length. In 2021 Patek Philippe discontinued the steel 5711 with the blue dial, at the peak of its popularity. As a farewell a few special dial variants appeared, marking the end of the reference and raising the desirability once more. With that the 5711 became a legend for good, the grail watch of an entire generation of collectors.

The 5811, the successor

After the end of the 5711 the question arose of how the time-and-date Nautilus would continue. The answer came in 2023 with the reference 5811. It took up the legacy of the 5711, though not in steel but in white gold, and with a slightly grown case of 41 millimetres. With that Patek Philippe deliberately moved the classic Nautilus with date into precious metal. For many enthusiasts this was a remarkable decision, because the steel version in particular had been the heart of the desirability. The 5811 continues the line of the iconic three-hand Nautilus with date, in a new, more elevated form. It shows that Patek keeps developing the Nautilus without losing its essence.

The other references in the family

The Nautilus is far more than the 5711. Over the years a whole family has grown that varies the basic theme in many directions. There are models with power reserve display and moon phase, sporting chronographs, versions with a second time zone, and even highly complicated variants with a perpetual calendar. To these are added smaller sizes and models aimed at ladies. This breadth shows how durable the original design is. From a single form Patek Philippe has developed a whole world of watches, from the plain three-hand watch to the demanding complication. Anyone interested in the Nautilus should know that the famous 5711 is only the best known of many doors into this world.

Steel, gold and the question of material

For a long time the Nautilus was known and coveted above all for its steel version, which is unusual for a watch in this price class. It was precisely the combination of a sober material and a high level of ambition that made up part of its fascination. Alongside this the Nautilus has always been available in gold, in two-tone combinations and in special versions with diamonds. With the shift of the classic three-hand Nautilus into white gold in the 5811, the question of material has been posed anew. For many the steel Nautilus remains the true original, while the precious metal versions offer a more festive, more elevated reading. Which version is the right one depends on personal taste and on availability, which plays a large role precisely with this family.

The Nautilus and the hype

Hardly any watch is as closely bound to the phenomenon of hype as the Nautilus. Over several years it became the symbol of a market in which desirability and scarcity drove prices to undreamed-of heights. That had two sides. On the one hand it gave the Nautilus a fame far beyond the watch world. On the other it meant the watch became unattainable for many, and its actual character threatened to disappear behind the headlines. In the atelier we advise looking behind the hype. The Nautilus is first of all an outstandingly designed and finished watch, and exactly that should be the reason to want it, not its reputation as an object of speculation alone.

For whom the Nautilus is the right choice

The Nautilus speaks to those who want to own one of the most significant sports watches in history, in a form that unites sporting ease and fine elegance. It is the watch for the discerning enthusiast who values the design history and the finishing of Patek Philippe. Because of its desirability and its price it is rarely a first watch, but rather the sought-after piece of a collector or a connoisseur who has deliberately worked towards it. Anyone looking for a watch that is at once status symbol, design icon and fine watchmaking finds in the Nautilus one of the few that unite all of that in one.

Nautilus or Aquanaut

Within the sporting world of Patek Philippe the Nautilus stands beside its younger sister, the Aquanaut. The Nautilus is the more classic, slightly more elegant and more prestigious of the two. The Aquanaut is the younger, sportier and more casual interpretation with its characteristic rubber strap. Anyone seeking the design icon in its original, elevated form tends towards the Nautilus. Anyone who prefers something younger and more casual finds the right answer in the Aquanaut. A direct comparison of the famous references is deepened in our article Nautilus 5711 against 5811, and a placement across the whole brand is given by which Patek Philippe to buy.

The Nautilus as a design icon

The significance of the Nautilus reaches far beyond its own family. Together with the Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet, which comes from the same designer, it founded the whole category of the luxurious sports watch in steel. Before these two watches an expensive watch was almost inevitably a formal precious metal watch. Genta showed that a steel watch could be sporty and luxurious at once, with an integrated bracelet and an independent, almost architectural design language. The Nautilus has thereby influenced generations of watch designers, and countless later sports watches owe it more than they would admit. Anyone wearing a Nautilus therefore wears not only a coveted watch but a piece of design history that helped found a whole genre. Exactly this historical significance is part of its lasting value, beyond all the fashions of the market.

Vintage Nautilus, the early references

Alongside the modern models there is a fascinating world of older Nautilus watches. The first generation with its flat, elegant case has a charm all of its own and is especially valued by collectors. Over the decades various generations followed, developing the basic form carefully without ever betraying it. With these older pieces originality decides a great deal, from the dial through the bracelet to the fine surfaces. Because the Nautilus was built in many variants over the decades, knowing the right reference and era is especially valuable here. Anyone stepping into the vintage Nautilus needs a trained eye or a reliable partner, because the differences are hard for an untrained eye to spot and decide large differences in value. In the atelier we are glad to place such pieces before a decision is made.

What to look for when buying a used Nautilus

With a watch of this desirability and this value the greatest care is called for. Pay attention to the originality and integrity of the case and the integrated bracelet, because improper polishing destroys the fine surfaces and sharp edges. Check the originality of the dial and hands and have the full provenance documented. Precisely because the Nautilus is so sought-after, it is a popular target for fakes and manipulation, which is why an expert inspection is especially important here. Completeness with box and papers is no accessory on the Nautilus but an essential lever on value, more on this in box and papers, how important are they really.

Service and care

A Patek Philippe is a piece of the finest watchmaking, and its service belongs in expert hands that know the brand. The movement needs an overhaul at larger intervals, during which it is cleaned, checked and re-oiled, and the fine surfaces demand particular gentleness when refinished. A Nautilus with a documented, unbroken service history is not only the more reliable one but, with a watch this valuable, also the clearly more tradable one. Anyone who owns a Nautilus should understand the service as a natural part of that ownership and document it carefully. With a watch of this class the right care by the right hand is the best protection for substance and value.

Frequent questions about the Nautilus

Why is the 5711 so coveted? Because for years it was the iconic steel Nautilus with date and was discontinued in 2021 at the peak of its popularity, which raised its desirability and its market price once again.

What is the difference between the 5711 and the 5811? The 5711 was the steel version at 40 millimetres, the 5811 is the successor presented in 2023 in white gold at 41 millimetres. The comparison is deepened in our own article on the subject.

Is the Nautilus a good investment? It belongs to the most sought-after watches in existence, yet anyone who sees it as an investment alone should weigh the risks of a market driven heavily by sentiment. The best reason for a Nautilus remains that you want to wear and own it.

Which Nautilus reference is the right one for me? That depends on whether you are looking for the classic three-hand watch with date, a chronograph or a complication. For many the plain, iconic form is the very embodiment of the Nautilus, yet the family offers far more for different needs.

The Nautilus at Time Boutique

In our atelier in Munich we advise on the Nautilus with the respect such a watch deserves. We inspect every piece with the greatest care and say honestly when something is not right. You will find an overview of our Patek Philippe selection in our Patek Philippe collection. Anyone looking for a Nautilus or wishing to part with one can turn to us at any time, we will keep our eyes open for you. Appointments in Munich are by arrangement, in person and without haste.