Last week, a collective gasp went up in the watch world. Swiss luxury watchmaker Patek Philippe announced eight new models, no less. But it was neither the number nor how resplendent they looked that caused the effusion. It was the fact that among them was a watch that seemed to have come back from the dead — the Nautilus 5811.
It was the spitting image of the Nautilus 5711 — with its brushed silver metal finish and blue-to-black graded dial — whose discontinuation had been announced quite suddenly and matter-of-factly in January 2021 when it had a waiting list that went to more than eight years and was commanding a grey market multiple of four to five times its official retail price of about $34,000. And this for a model that was not even a limited or special edition, just your regular production sports watch.
That Patek pulled the plug on the 5711 after 15 years of production came as a shocker at that time, but then one can see the logic of the move now. Its maker wasn’t getting any of that grey market premium like many dealers or buyers who got hold of one and promptly put it up for sale to cash out the multiple. It was like hitting the jackpot, but Patek probably thought it should get a slice of that cash too.
Hence the 5811, among other things probably. It is 1mm bigger in case diameter at 41mm compared to the 5711. But the bigger difference is the fact that instead of the stainless steel case of the 5711, the 5811 has a white gold case. That has allowed it to charge close to $70,000 a pop for the new watch, which is more than double of what the 5711 was retailing for but still about half of what that watch fetches in the resale market even today. While the cost of making this watch is more than the stainless steel one, it is just a small part of the price increase.
For the lusting buyer whose hopes of landing a 5711 had been unceremoniously dashed last year, this looks like a pretty good option. He would still pay less than he would for a 5711 today and get something that looks almost exactly like it. It would still have the wear-it-anywhere-with-anything-on-any-occasion attribute of the 5711 and be as good a timepiece technically as that one. So, what’s not to like? We are pretty sure that once the surprise of seeing the 5811 was over, it was a scramble to call up the friendly neighbourhood Patek dealer to order one. Whether this will become as much of an icon as the 5711 one will have to wait and see.
While the 5811 has stolen much of the limelight from the other seven new models, they are no pushovers either. But then, that’s what one expects of a Patek, so in a way it’s business as usual. Here’s a quick run through the rest of them.
5373P-001: Perpetual calender with split seconds chronograph
5373P-001: Earlier this year, Rolex created quite a buzz with its ‘destro’ or left-hander GMT Master. Now, Patek has brought out its version, a first in the company’s recent past at least. As they typically are, this one too essentially has the movement rotated 180degrees and the placement of the pushers is somewhat unusual. But then we don’t expect it to remain in the line-up very long as it is supposed to be a “small series”. So it could well turn out to be a collectible. It is a split seconds chronograph with perpetual calendar and the calibre is the thinnest ever built with these complications.
Aquanaut Luce
7968/300R-001: Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” chronograph in rose gold is the first self-winding ladies’ chronograph in Patek’s lineup. The ‘rainbow” consists of baguette diamonds and multi-coloured sapphire that are invisibly set. There are three strap options.
5204G-001 Split-seconds chronograph
5204G-001: This split-seconds chronograph with perpetual calendar gets a new livery consisting of a white gold case and an olive green sunburst dial with a black gradation to the periphery. The rest remains the same as the black dial version.
5935A-001 World Time flyback
5935A-001: The play with materials continues in the self-winding World Time flyback chronograph that simultaneously shows time in 24 zones. This is the first stainless steel version of this sporty-vintage-look model. The carbon motif at the centre of the dial is a nod to the contemporary.
Nautilus 5990/1A-011
5990/1A-011: The Nautilus Travel Time chronograph in stainless steel gets a new blue sunburst dial and a delicate black gradation to the periphery. Is this another one to tickle the fancy of the 5711 cravers? It has a a flyback chronograph, dual time and date synchronised with local time.
Nautilus 5712/1R-001
5712/1R-001: This Nautilus gets a bracelet in rose gold with a brown sunburst dial and a black gradation. The rest we are familiar with.
7118/1300R-001: If something can be called blingy cool, this would probably be it. This ladies’ Nautilus in rose gold has its octagonal bezel set with two rows of 68 spessartite baguettes that have a colour gradation from cognac at 12 and 6 o’clock to champagne at 9 and 3 o’clock. We’ll drink to that one.
