The Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1A

After spending time with the Rolex Submariner ref. 5508 and the A. Lange & Söhne 1815 Chronograph, I get one more likelihood to discover a private grail watch at the moment. Sure, life will be good when you’ve got particular entry to a number of the world’s best watches. This time, I obtained to strap on a 1978 Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/1A.

Once more, the stakes are excessive. Does spending time with the Nautilus cement it as certainly one of my all-time favorites, or does it buckle underneath strain? Let’s see how we fared collectively!

The unique Patek Philippe Nautilus

Patek Philippe launched the Nautilus in 1976 with this reference 3700/1A. This was a daring watch by any measure, from its “Jumbo” 40mm diameter (42mm from ear to ear), robust built-in bracelet design, and — final however definitely not least — an eye-watering US$3,100 worth. Such a sum for a metal watch was beforehand unparalleled and, transformed to at the moment’s cash, equaled round US$17,000. Patek even boasted, “One of many world’s costliest watches is manufactured from metal” in its ads on the time.

The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and the Patek Philippe Nautilus

Gérald Genta famously drafted the tough sketch for the Nautilus on a serviette in a matter of minutes. Genta’s pencil was solely certainly one of many issues linking the Nautilus to the 1972-introduced Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. Whereas the Royal Oak confirmed an escape for Swiss manufacturers from the Quartz Disaster in final luxurious, the Nautilus validated that method in some ways. The similarities are placing, with a diving-helmet-inspired RO versus a porthole-inspired Nautilus, a shared Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber, built-in bracelets, and blue dials.

These two titans paved the best way for a brand new luxurious Swiss watch trade. In a way, the Nautilus is the Cristiano Ronaldo to the Royal Oak’s Lionel Messi. The competitors solely drove each to larger heights.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/1A

So, what was this authentic Nautilus all about? Curiously, the 3700/1A featured a two-part case held along with screws within the “ears.” This implies the porthole design wasn’t merely an aesthetic gimmick but in addition the inspiration for the case’s development. The motion needed to be loaded in from the highest, enabled by a cut up crown stem. This and the caliber’s slim profile allowed for a svelte 7.5mm total case thickness. The bracelet is famously built-in with the case for a extra naturally flowing and cohesive total design. On the 3700/1A, the bracelet tapered to 16mm on the clasp, whereas tapered to 14mm on later variations.

Inside ticks the ultra-thin automated caliber 28-255C, Patek’s model of the Jaeger-LeCoultre caliber 920. The motion measures simply 2.45mm thick by 28mm throughout. JLC provided ébauche variations not simply to AP and Patek but in addition to Vacheron Constantin. With a 19,800vph frequency and an influence reserve of round 38 hours at lower than 2.5mm thick, it ticked all of the bins for the “Holy Trinity.”

The Patek Philippe Nautilus featured a ridged dial with what many name a “teak-deck sample.” Patek’s craftspeople hand-carved these ridges, including a refined sunburst impact and blue lacquer on prime. The straightforward, rectangular white gold utilized indexes distinction with the rounded baton handset. Little design quirks like this give the Nautilus character.

Dealing with the unique Nautilus for the primary time

The very first thing I seen upon selecting up the 3700/1A in entrance of me was its dimension. Even by at the moment’s requirements, that is certainly a jumbo watch. In contrast to lots of its fashionable counterparts, nevertheless, it wears its proportions with nice magnificence. The wide-flaring porthole ears taper off radically to a really elegant bracelet. The case’s lovely slimness and the dial’s refined parts present it with a proper, suave high quality that completely counterbalances the imposing stature.

The design masterfully combines refined particulars and stark, daring statements. As an illustration, its huge, flat bezel provides assertion to the rather more refined dial sitting inside it. The flatness is amplified by the dial’s proximity to the sapphire crystal. We’ve grown accustomed to tall hand stacks and even taller rehauts, however this seems infinitely extra refined.

In comparison with the Royal Oak, the Nautilus feels much less radical however extra mature. Genta softened a number of the watch’s daring statements with rounded parts. At first look, you would possibly really feel these are randomly sprinkled in, just like the arms contrasting the hour markers. Upon nearer inspection, the complete watch balances sternness with softness by way of its rounded-angular (or angled-round?) bezel and the softened rectangular middle hyperlinks. Much more than in footage, the design sings to me when dealing with the watch.

Carrying the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/1A

I used to be fortunate sufficient to roughly share wrist circumferences with this Nautilus’s proprietor. Upon slipping my hand by way of and shutting the clasp, the watch confirmed my earlier findings. I do know of only a few watches that pair boldness and magnificence so completely. Its stance is commanding with out being overpowering. Its look is assertive however removed from crass. It instantly felt proper. “This might be my one watch,” I assumed to myself.

Reference 5711/1A

Later variations of the Patek Philippe Nautilus grew to become extra congruent in design. Normally, I imply this in a optimistic sense. On this case, nevertheless, I don’t. The legendary Nautilus ref. 5711/1A, as an example, obtained thicker and wider. Bolder arms and markers have been thrown in to make it look extra aggressive. General, it appeared barely much less awkward. In concept, that ought to have cured the 3700/1A’s cut up persona. In actuality, although, it simply threw off its delicate steadiness, caricaturing it as an announcement of wealth quite than a masterclass in watch design.

Curiously, strolling round with this roughly €100,000 (on at the moment’s market) Nautilus feels…regular, for lack of a greater phrase. Nothing right here means that it is without doubt one of the most coveted luxurious objects on this planet. It seems like a really good, trendy classic watch. Frankly, a shiny new Rolex Submariner, costing about 1/tenth, shouts lots louder. This speaks for the Nautilus, though it makes me marvel if now we have all gone mad. I prefer it. I imply, I prefer it lots! However certainly not would I drop this kind of cash on one.

Herd mentality

After all, the above alludes to the herd mentality and groupthink inside the watch group. As we collectively resolve {that a} handful of watches are “those to get,” we see large inflation and unhealthy worship of these watches. I absolutely notice that I’m participating in it, waxing poetic concerning the Nautilus on my forearm.

Equally, it’s unattainable to not view a watch by way of the lens of its historic relevance. Some watches by no means turned any heads till the fanatic group collectively jumped on them. “In my day, you couldn’t give these away, however now you all need one,” is a typical touch upon such watches. That makes me marvel to what diploma hype shapes our opinions.

Let me lastly add this, then; I’ve dealt with almost each integrated-bracelet luxurious watch available on the market, and I don’t imagine all of them impersonate the Royal Oak and Nautilus. Nonetheless, with the Nautilus in hand, I do see why this and the RO are the OGs of the style. Only a few, together with Patek Philippe itself, managed to make one nearly as good as this once more. I merely discover it lovely on one other stage, even with quirks like undersized markers and a brilliant white date aperture. Generally the quirks simply work, leading to a extra fascinating total appear and feel. Do I even want to say the Cubitus? Ah, hell…I simply did.

I’m positive that whereas some would possibly share my sentiments, lots of you’ll disagree. Tell us within the feedback part beneath what you consider the unique Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 3700/1A!