How the Patek Philippe Nautilus became one of the most coveted watches in the world
Patek Philippe was founded in Geneva in 1839. It is by no means the world’s oldest watchmaker, but in the past 180 years it has certainly become the most prestigious. The brand has created some of the costliest and most complicated timepieces on the planet, and while its overall design ethos can be described as staunchly traditional, with the basic outlines of its most popular pieces having changed little over the last several decades, one of its most atypical, and originally unloved, designs has suddenly become its most popular.
The Nautilus, designed by horological legend Gérald Genta, creator of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak among others, and introduced in 1976, was made to resemble a ship’s porthole with its rounded octagonal bezel, and was Patek’s attempt at a contemporary high-end sports watch in lowly stainless steel at a time when gold watches were all the rage. Sized at a generous 42mm it sported a grooved deep blue dial. As WatchTime reports, the conservative company was not without reservations about it. Demand for the watch was slow at first, the magazine notes, and its popularity has waxed and waned over the years along with changing tastes, with gold versions introduced to up the luxe factor. In the past few years however stainless steel Nautilus models, in particular the reference 5711, have skyrocketed in popularity.
Denne historien er fra September - October 2019-utgaven av Maxim.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September - October 2019-utgaven av Maxim.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
150 YEARS of SUPERYACHTS STYLE
Here's why Benetti's expensive-but-worth-it vessels have been favored by the beautiful people, from James Bond to Donald Trump, David Bowie and Jay-Z
KING of the PRANCING HORSES
The extremely sought-after Ferrari 250 series-including the sales record-setting 250 GTO-are the most valuable cars that money can buy
LUST for LIFE
French photographer Philippe Shangti's world of lush, sometimes lurid seenes isn't always what it seems
A CENTURY of MOROCCAN STYLE
The legendary La Mamounia in Marrakech unveils a multimillion-dollar renovation on the occasion of its 100th anniversary
SPRITZ & SPREZZATURA
Everything you need to know about the evolution of the spritz, which has gone beyond bitter into vibrant, refreshing and eclectic
APEX PREDATOR
Driving the new GT 63 supercar across the hills of Spain reveals Mercedes-AMG only made a great supercar better
HAPPIEST ANNIVERSARIES
When it comes to fine smokes, \"anniversario\" blends just keep getting better with time
THE RAZOR'S EDGE
Collectors are taking note of William Henry's nextlevel pocket knives, the ultimate in luxury cutting tools
LIGHTS, CAMERA ,ACTION!
A conversation with Emmy-winning cinematographer and director Keyan Safyari
ROLLIN' THUNDER
Malaysia's Rollin Machine crafts a world-class tribute to the Royal Enfield Interceptor