Patek Philippe Writes A New Chapter In The History Of The Nautilus
The Nautilus by Patek Philippe is a timepiece that needs no introduction, being one of the most coveted in the world of horology. With a notoriously long waitlist, the Nautilus collection has continued to evolve and progress since its debut in 1976. Last year, a slew of five sleek new Nautilus Ladies iterations were launched, together with an extension of the Nautilus Ref. 5726 Annual Calendar with moon-phase display.
Patented by Patek Philippe in 1996, the Annual Calendar shows the day and the month in two in-line apertures at 12 o’clock, and the date in an aperture at 6 o’clock. The complication cleverly considers the varying month lengths of 30 and 31 days, requiring the owner of the watch to make just a single alteration per year at the beginning of March.
A 24-hour indicator in the lower half of the dial helps to simplify calendar adjustments, whereby the secondary dial housing the ultra-precise moon-phase display necessitates correction only once every 122 years.
Back in 2010, the Nautilus was crowned as Patek’s first steel watch to be endowed with an Annual Calendar, representing a significant crossover fusing sporty sensibility with the technical sophistication of the Swiss watchmaker.
Over the years, several other variations have joined the inaugural leather strap version of the Ref. 5726A-001 in steel with an Annual Calendar, moon-phase display, and 24-hour indicator.
Unveiled in 2019, the Ref. 5726/1A-014 boasts an elegant and au courant blue dial, echoing the colour of the original 1976 Nautilus. It replaces predecessors Ref. 5726/1A-001 and Ref. 5726/1A-010, launched in 2012.
The latest dial, with horizontal embossing and gradations of blue to black at the periphery, syncs seamlessly with the subtle glimmer of steel — rendered in a mix of mirror-polished and satin finishes — in the case, bezel, and bracelet.
Exquisite without sacrificing legibility, the white gold hour markers and hands are applied with a luminescent coating to provide indication of the hours and minutes, alongside the slim sweep of the seconds hand.
Water-resistant to 120 metres and shielding a calibre 324 S QA LU 24H/303 self-winding movement comprising 347 parts (visible through a sapphire crystal case back), the refined yet sporty case of Patek’s Ref. 5726/1A-014, with its recognisable octagonal bezel and case construction inspired by a ship’s porthole, wins yet another race for the Nautilus collection, sailing ahead of the fine watchmaking fleet.
Visit patek.com to find out more.
