Aquanaut And Aquanaut Luce Collection's Seven New Models For Men And Women

The Aquanaut and Aquanaut Luce collections combine serious sporty performance with classic yet contemporary attributes synonymous with Patek Philippe’s timepieces. Allyson Klass discovers the collection’s seven new models for men and women.

-  Allyson Klass

After presenting its own vision of casual elegance with the Nautilus back in 1976, Patek Philippe reaffirmed its ability to innovate when it created its next high-end sporty watch in 1997. With its modern, unexpected design and a character all its own, the Aquanaut proved to be a huge success. Inspired by the Nautilus, its case and rounded octagonal bezel stood out with their instantly recognisable shapes, as well as the alternation of polished and satin-brushed finishes. Both in matching colours, the dial and strap were embellished with an embossed chequerboard pattern that added an original, dynamic touch.

The Aquanaut’s strap was another highlight. Made of a high-tech water-resistant composite material known for its extreme resistance to traction, wear, saltwater and UV radiation, it was also supple, comfortable and pleasant to touch. The watch debuted a steel model with a black dial and strap. It soon became another cult model, sought after by aficionados with a refined yet relaxed approach to life. The Aquanaut also enabled a new, younger clientele to enter the rarefied world of Patek Philippe.

Over the years, the men’s Aquanaut collection has also been enriched to cater to different tastes. To mark the model’s 10th anniversary in 2007, Patek Philippe revised the basic model by reworking the relief pattern on the dial and strap for greater impact and fitted a new integrated strap that followed the curvature of the case between the two lugs.