Patek Philippe is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the notorious, elegant Nautilus collection. For many aficionados and connoisseurs of classic watchmaking artistry, this is a memorable occasion as well. A look back to 1976 not only shows how quickly and dramatically the world has changed since then but also illustrates how well the Nautilus has stayed its course across four decades in terms of design, dependability, and popularity. With two limited-edition Nautilus 40th Anniversary models, the manufacture manifests its ability to keep pace with the times while preserving the key facets of a legend.
Patek Philippe also explored uncharted territory with the Nautilus launch advertisements and headlines such as "One of the world\'s costliest watches is made of steel" and "It goes with a wetsuit as well as with a tuxedo". Pioneers don\'t always have an easy start. But within just a few years, it turned out that the argument behind the Nautilus – casual AND elegant – carried far more weight than concerns regarding the size of the watch and stainless steel as the case material. Those who possess an original Nautilus Ref. 3700/1A today own not just a milestone in horological history but also a precious collector\'s piece envied by scores of watch enthusiasts.
The Nautilus Ref. 5711/1P 40th Anniversary will be available in a limited edition of 700 watches. With its platinum case, it perpetuates a grand tradition that began with a stainless steel debut model in 1976. It is reminiscent of the original Nautilus Ref. 3700/1A, but also suggests the subtle evolution of the model line during the past 40 years. With a width of 44 mm (including the crown), the new Ref. 5711 is a rather large watch. But 40 years ago, this also applied to the Ref. 3700/1A, which – although 2 mm narrower – was so large in its time that it was nicknamed "Jumbo".
