The early 1970s was a time of great change within the watch industry, where the concept of a luxury watch in steel was a truly revolutionary idea. In 1976, the introduction of
Patek Philippe’s
Nautilus firmly altered the direction of luxury sports watch design – offering a true competitor to
Audemars Piguet's then four-year-old
Royal Oak.
Early examples of the
Nautilus are now highly sought-after by collectors, commanding increasing prices in the vintage market. With an ever-growing waiting list, demand for the 5711 has also increased in recent years.
This steel
Nautilus 5711/1A-001 is the perfect balance between utilitarian function and elegant design. The case and bracelet are excellently finished, with beveled, polished and granular surfaces. Mirror-polished centre links on the bracelet fantastically-contrast with its brushed surfaces, and the entire watch is finished to
Patek's high standards.
The 5711 features a date function at 3 o’clock and is housed in a 40 mm case. It has a blue gradient dial, composed of different shades starting with a lighter blue at the centre and darkening as it reaches the perimeter. The dial is further composed of horizontally embossed lines, adding depth and creating different tones of blue as it reflects light from different angles. The gold, applied index markers have white gold surrounds with a luminous coating in the centre and consistent with the markers, the baton shaped hour and minute hands are similarly coated and made of gold.
The 5711 is powered by
Patek Philippe’s in-house caliber 324 S C, visible through the sapphire crystal display-back. It is composed of a 21k gold rotor due to the heavier properties of gold, allowing a more efficient self-winding system. Furthermore, the movement has a four-arm
Gyromax balance beating at 28,800 oscillations per hour. This
Nautilus is an earlier example, and carries the Geneva seal, a certification reserved for watches crafted within the Swiss Canton of Geneva that display excellent finishing and decoration of the movement.
The watch is complete with box and paperwork, including the Certificate of Origin, product literature and
Patek service receipt from August 2018.
Viewings can be arranged in Central London by appointment.
