How Much Does a Patek Philippe Nautilus Cost?
The story of the Patek Philippe Nautilus, which today is possibly the most sought-after watch in the world, begins in 1976 when the iconic Swiss manufacturer contacted the great watch designer Gerald Genta to create the company’s luxury sports model.
The move from the company was to bet on the development of this particular sector, inaugurated in 1972 by Audemars Piguet with the Genta-designed Royal Oak. And apart from a slow start, precisely as it happened with the Royal Oak, the sales in the later years skyrocketed, propelling the Nautilus into icon-dom.
To create the Nautilus, Genta sourced into the same styling elements that he pioneered, coming from marine inspirations.
The most evident was the big, chunky bezel, similar to a ship’s porthole. The case was a monobloc in stainless steel, with an integrated bracelet and two lateral beveled “wings” that give the Nautilus his steampunk-ish mood. It also presented a simple, ribbed black dial with two hands and a date window, adorned by applied baton indices.
The movement of the original Nautilus was the Patek Philippe version of the Jaeger LeCoultre caliber 920, which was also mounted in the Royal Oak.
From the original 3700/1 reference, nicknamed “Jumbo” for its huge 42 mm size (for the time), the Nautilus was developed into countless variations and also made in precious metals.
It has also spawned another more sporty, very successful model from the watchmaker, the Aquanaut.
THE NAUTILUS BASIC LINE
The original Nautilus, the 3700/1 “Jumbo” was produced from 1976 to 2005. It had a diameter of 42 mm, and initially, it was available just in stainless steel but was later fitted with bimetal, gold and platinum cases. From 1976 to 1979, they were made by Favre-Perret, and after 1979, in Patek’s in-house Ateliers Reunis — so after this date, the reference switched to 3700/11.
The reference 3700, in its different models, is extremely sought-after by collectors. You might find the bimetal models starting from around $80,000, the stainless steel models around $90,000, and the gold models (yellow and white) around $130,000.
The “iced out” versions, with diamonds on the bezel, retail for around $170,000 onwards.
The same line also features the 3710/1A “Jumbo” reference, in a 42 mm size, mounting the caliber 330 SC with a power reserve indicator, and was produced from 1998 to 2006.
The 3710/1A is only available in stainless steel with a black dial, with unusual Roman numerals. It starts at around $60,000.
The 3711 “Jumbo” reference, also in 42 mm, was manufactured only for a couple of years, in 2004–2005, and was offered in white gold only. It mounts the caliber 315 SC, also featuring the second hand.
It is quite rare, and you can find it from around $160,000.
The 3700 reference was substituted in 2006, at its 30th anniversary, by the 5711/1A, which is still in production today.
This smaller, 40 mm version is a three-hander, featuring the second hand. It mounts the new, traditional three-piece case, with a transparent case back, so to admire the movement, which was initially the Patek Philippe caliber 315 SC. After just one year, it was replaced by the quicker-beating 324 SC, and in 2019, by the caliber 26–330.
The 5711 also comes in models without the integrated bracelet, which renders the gold version a bit more affordable.
The stainless steel version, with an integrated bracelet, starts from around $55,000. This is also the price for the gold versions with a leather wristband.
Full gold versions with bracelets start around $90,000,
and diamond versions around $100,000.
THE MID-SIZE LINE
To overcome some of the criticisms that plagued the initial offering of the Nautilus, Patek launched in 1980 a smaller version of this timepiece, the mid-sized reference 3800/1 “La Classique” with a 37.5mm two-piece monobloc case.
This model mounted at first the Patek Philippe caliber 335 SC, and after 1997, the caliber 330 SC, adding the second hand.
The 3800 is available in bimetal from around $24,000 and in stainless steel from about $30,000. The diamond steel versions start from approximately $35,000.
The yellow gold model starts from around $40,000, with the diamond versions being a bit more expensive, at $45,000, upwards for the full pavé versions with the dial covered with diamonds and other precious stones used as indices which reach $165,000 and more.
The 3800 was replaced by the reference 5800 from 2006 to 2009, a bit bigger, with its 38.4mm. It has a two-parts case, which also features a glass back, through which you can admire the caliber 330 SC.
Having been in production for little time, it is relatively rare and starts from around $55,000.
THE NAUTILUS BOYS AND LADIES LINE
Patek Philippe has also developed the Nautilus in smaller sizes, for the needs of (affluent) boys and ladies.
The reference 3900, produced from 1984 to 1998, was the boys model, at 33 mm, featuring a quartz-based caliber E 23/51 with center seconds and date. As its size was ideally halfway between the tiny Ladies’ models and the bigger midsize ones, it became quite popular with ladies as well.
The stainless steel models start from around $19,000, while the gold models from about $23,000.
The initial ladies’ model was the reference 4700, produced from 1980 to 2005, a 27 mm watch with three hands and date, mounting the quartz-based E 19 C caliber.
The bimetal models are the most affordable, starting from around $6,000, while the stainless steel ones are more expensive, at $10,000, the same amount of the gold models.
The diamond versions, with diamonds on the bezel, start at $14,000, while for the versions with a diamond-studded bracelet, you should budget from $20,000 onwards.
In 2005, these watches were redesigned into new, bigger and more expensive versions, featuring both quartz and mechanical movements.
The references 7010 and 7011 come with 32 mm diameters, and mount an E 23–250 SC quartz-based movement.
They mount either with a wristband or the integrated bracelet and are in white or yellow gold with diamond bezels.
The models with the wristband start from $20,000, while the ones with the integrated bracelet from $25,000.
The reference 7014 is a bit bigger, with a 33.6 mm diameter, and mounts an automatic 324 SC caliber with three hands and date. It comes either in white and rose gold, and features a full set of diamonds on the bezels and the links of the bracelet. These watches start at around $200,000.
The 7018 is similar, but is instead made in stainless steel with a diamond bezel, and starts from around $45,000.
The 7021 is the Haute Joaillerie model, in white or rose gold and fully covered with diamonds, with a full pavé dial. These models start from around $250,000.
The last model of the Lady line is the reference 7118, a larger but more subdued watch, with a 35 mm diameter, and featuring a wavy pattern on the dial instead of the typical ribbed one. It features the signature integrated bracelet and mounts an automatic 324 SC caliber with three hands and a date.
The stainless steel model starts from around $30,000, the models with diamonds on the bezel starting at about $38,000.
The gold models start from around $47,000, the models with diamonds on the bezel selling for $57,000.
THE COMPLICATED NAUTILUS COLLECTION
The Nautilus collection features a few impressive models featuring highly-sought complications, most of which are still in production today, all mounted inside 40 mm or 40.5 mm cases.
The only discontinued model, made just in 2005, is the stainless steel Nautilus Moon Phase reference 3712. It features a date subdial with a moon phase indicator and power reserve, but no second hand. It is powered by a caliber 240 SC automatic movement with micro-rotor, shown through the monobloc back with integrated glass.
It is a rather uncommon watch, and its value reflects this fact, with prices starting from approximately $120,000.
The reference 3712 was replaced in 2006 by reference 5712, with a similar complication but a smaller case at 40 mm, which is also available with a wristband other than the classic bracelet.
The case belongs to the new three-piece model, as in all the new Nautilus family.
The new reference retains the caliber 240 SC used in the 3712 and is available in stainless steel, bimetal, and gold.
The gold versions (white or rose) on a wristband start from $52,000, while the stainless steel version with the integrated bracelet from around $68,000.
This line also comprises the references 5722 and 5724, which are more expensive, featuring diamond bezels, and start from around $150,000.
The Nautilus Annual Calendar reference 5726, introduced in 2006, improves on the 5712 with functions such as an annual calendar and a moon phase complication, but without the power reserve indicator. Also, the day and month display is at twelve, while the date is placed at six.
As a result, the dial is much cleaner than in the 5712.
This watch also features the second hand and is powered by the caliber 324 S with a central rotor that you can admire from the glass back.
You can find the stainless steel version with a wristband starting from $50,000, and the version with the integrated bracelet from around $69,000.
The Nautilus Perpetual Calendar reference 5740, introduced in 2018, is the big brother of the 5726 and mounts a full perpetual calendar with moon phase display. The day, date, and month indications are shown in three separate symmetrical subdials.
This timepiece features the automatic caliber 240 Q. It is only available in white gold with an integrated bracelet and starts from $190,000.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus Chronograph reference 5980, introduced in 2006, was the first chronograph of the Nautilus collection.
It features the three-part case setup with a display back, where you can admire the caliber CH-28 520.
The dial is extremely clean, with just the date display at three and a subdial at six integrating all the chronograph indicators.
It is available in several versions, both with wristband and bracelet, in stainless steel, bimetal, and gold.
The prices start from around $90,000 for the bimetal version with bracelet and the gold version with a wristband, with the stainless steel with bracelet hovering around $100,000, and the gold version with bracelet starting around $135,000.
The top end of the Nautilus line is the Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph reference 5990, introduced in 2014, which adds a dual timezone to the chronograph complication, which commanded by two pushers set on the left of the case.
The dial stays very clean, with two subdials at twelve and six plus two small windows at three and nine.
The 5990 uses the same caliber mounted in the 5880, the CH-28 520 C, modified with the added calendar and second timezone functions.
The stainless steel version with an integrated bracelet of the reference 5990 starts from around $95,000, while the white gold version, set with diamonds, lies in the seven figures category.
If you’re looking for your next Nautilus let the team at LuxuryBazaar.com source it for you at the most competitive price!
