Ladies First

A timepiece befitting the contemporary woman requires thought, and the Ladies Automatic Nautilus, Daniel Goh discovers, is one prime example of it.

- Daniel Goh

When Patek Philippe launched the first Nautilus in 1976 with the stainless-steel cased Ref. 3700/1A, it used an almost prescient tag line: “One of the world’s costliest watches is made of steel.” While not the most expensive timepiece today in absolute terms, the Nautilus stands out in Patek Philippe’s line-up for having steel watches that are more coveted than similar models in gold or platinum – often with a corresponding price premium.

The Nautilus has also grown beyond a single model into a collection that includes complications from moonphase indicators to chronographs, and even a high complication in the Nautilus Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5740/1. Today, it remains one of the world’s most sought-after luxury sports watches, with some models rumoured to have waiting lists of up to eight years.

CHANGING WINDS