I guess I have to begin by saying what everyone already knows: The Nautilus has to be the most popular watch of the last five years.
First released in the 1970s, the Nautilus, designed by none other than Gerald Genta himself, was a crazy, avant-garde sports watch in stainless steel that sold for an eye-watering price. While the Royal Oak was designed in this same sense, Audemars Piguet was largely seen as the bad boys of the industry and when Patek Philippe followed suit, clients and critics alike who were used to seeing elegant dress watches were shocked to see that they followed in the footsteps AP. This was further reinforced by the fact that both were designed by the same man! The reference 3700 ‘Jumbo’, the first Nautilus model ever made, of course as we know managed to defy the odds and today is one of the holy grails of vintage Patek Philippe.
Fast forward to 2006, and Patek Philippe releases the heir apparent to the 3700 ‘Jumbo’, the 5711. Featuring an ultra-slim 8.3mm case, it is so thin not only for a sports watch but in general, sliding easily under the cuff of a shirt. And while the stainless steel model has been the center of attention and has been around for the longest, in 2015 Patek Philippe released what you see here today- the 5711R.
I know that gold has taken a back seat in recent times and while I am a huge fan of the steel version, there is a certain aura that this rose gold version has that cannot compare. The weight is immense and the presence on the wrist is just unbelievable. With its chocolate brown ridged dial and integrated bracelet, there is a lot of gold!
This 5711R was made in much lower quantities than the steel version and had a similarly immense waitlist. Like every other Nautilus, you get the incredible case finishing from the polished bevels to the brushed surfaces and the warmth and shine of the gold is the cherry on top. Furthermore, with news of its discontinuation last year, no more 5711s will be made again, making it even more desirable.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus is really the ultimate luxury sports watch, combining brutalist design elements with an elegant profile and sizing. It is just such a cool watch and with the 5711 in particular, it is as pure as it gets, remaining faithful to the original Genta designed 3700 ‘Jumbo’ from 40 years ago with that extra heft of bling.
