Are you a fan of the Patek Philippe Nautilus watch? The Nautilus is one of the most well-known collections from Patek Philippe. This collection also consists of the brand’s famous timepieces, the Ref. #5711 and #5712 models.
Patek Philippe released the Nautilus collection in 1976, during the quartz crisis. Thus, they needed to be innovative to survive in the watch industry. They made the first Nautilus model with Steel. It gained popularity amongst the people and continues to sell years later.
If you plan to buy a Patek Philippe Nautilus, you may want to know some trivia about this collection before buying. Here is a list of ten trivia about the fantastic Patek Philippe Nautilus watch.
1. The “Jumbo” Nickname
Did you know? This prestigious Nautilus collection once got the nickname “Jumbo” due to its size. During its release in 1976, people classified the 42 mm case size as large. It was inevitable for Nautilus to get this nickname. But, the brand discontinued the “Jumbo” line in triviatriviaearly 1990, making those watches rarer than the other versions.
On the bright side, it made them stand out as a sports luxury watch amongst the rest during that time. The Nautilus collection was well-known due to its large yet elegant appearance. That’s a good thing, right?
2. Its Connection to the Iconic Royal Oak Collection
Gérald Genta, a famous watch designer, is the one who designed the first model from this collection. He is also the designer of the iconic Royal Oak Collection for the Audemars Piguet. Being that said, the timepiece did attract people’s attention during its release. The brand’s goal was to catch people’s attention to the Swiss mechanical watches, which worked.
3. The Sketch of the Watch Design Took How Long?
Knowing the fact that Gérald Genta was the designer for the first model was impressive enough. He is a renowned watch designer famous for his works, such as the iconic Royal Oak collection. But, guess how much time it took for him to design the timepiece from this collection?
This trivia may seem unbelievable, but it only took him five minutes to complete the watch’s sketch. According to his 2009 interview, he sketched the design during the Basel Trade Fair. He was at the restaurant when he designed the timepiece on a piece of paper as he observed the people eating.
4. Its Collection Name Came From a Novel
Its name, Nautilus, came from the “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” novel. The story is all about an underwater adventure with a protagonist named Captain Nemo. He owned a submarine with the same name, and it comes in an oval shape. Thus, it serves as an inspiration for this luxury watch collection.
5. Glow in the Dark?
Do you find it challenging to check the time during night hours? You do not have to worry. Every watch from this collection has Tritium, making it easier to track the time in dark places. But how does it work?
Not all parts of the timepiece have Tritium, of course. Only the hour markers in the watch’s dial have this material. At night, the hour makers will illuminate light which allows you to see the time at night. This feature would be helpful when you are out adventuring in the dark forests.
6. Yellow Gold in the 1980s
The original version of the first model, Ref. 3700, consists of stainless steel. But, Patek Philippe started adding Yellow Gold to this timepiece during the 1980s.
As for its look, the bracelet and case material consists of Yellow Gold, paired with a stunning dark-colored dial. The watch still has the “Jumbo” trademark, which the brand produced precisely in 1986. That is ten years after the release of its original version.
7. The Return of the “Jumbo” Trademark
As stated earlier, the brand discontinued the “Jumbo” watch line in the early 1990s. But, the “Jumbo” Nautilus trademark returned in the 2000s with the Ref. 3711/1G watch. Patek Philippe produced the watches between the years 2004 to 2006.
As for its appearance, the watch features a white gold case and bracelet. It has a black dial paired with sapphire crystals from front to back. Modern was the theme for this timepiece, and it represents the watch well.
8. The Famous Ref. 5711 and 5712 Is From the 30th Anniversary of Patek Philippe Nautilus
2006 marked the 30th anniversary of the Patek Philippe Nautilus watch line. For this special event, Patek Philippe decided to redesign the whole collection. They released four new models for the Patek Philippe Nautilus line, including:
- Nautilus Ref. 5711
- Nautilus Ref. 5712
- Nautilus Ref. 5980
- Nautilus Ref. 5800
Each timepiece varies in design and features. For example, the Nautilus Ref. 5711 is a “Jumbo” time and date watch in steel. Even so, they still made the watches with steel. It was the material that they used for the first model watch. Thus, making this event an exceptional and memorable one.
9. The First Chronograph of This Collection Is Also Released During Its 30th Anniversary
Apart from the Ref. 5711 and 5712 watches, Patek Philippe also released the Nautilus Ref. 5980 during their 30th anniversary. This timepiece is the first Chronograph, which boosts the time function of this watch.
As for its appearance, this timepiece features a 40.5 mm case. It also has a similar design and architecture as the Ref. 5711 and 5712 watches. This fact is not surprising. After all, this company released these models during their 30th anniversary.
10. Annual Calendar Model Version in the 2010s
Patek Philippe continues to strive for improvement, and Nautilus is not an exception. The company released its first annual calendar in 2010 in the Ref. 5726 model. It also allows you to adjust the calendar depending on the month. Thus, it would be no problem whether the month has 30 or 31 days.
Final Word
Today, we have compiled ten interesting trivias about the Patek Philippe Nautilus. This collection indeed has a lot to offer, from its features to history. We hope that you have enjoyed reading these incredible trivias of this collection.
