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Episode 6 of Watch the Icon is live — and this one trades racetracks for portholes, and horsepower for understatement.
Meet the Patek Philippe Nautilus — the watch that asked, “What if casual could be collectible?” and then made steel feel more precious than gold.
Designed in the 1970s, born in a crisis, and dismissed at launch, the Nautilus was Patek Philippe’s most unlikely creation. It was too big. Too bold. Too steel. And, as it turns out — just right.
In this episode, Sofia Brontvein charts how one elegant curve, a ship-inspired case, and an eyebrow-raising price tag quietly transformed the world of luxury watches forever.
Here are five things you probably didn’t know about the Patek Philippe Nautilus — unless you are currently holding a 5711 hostage in a safe deposit box:
1. It was drawn in five minutes — and changed everything. Designer Gérald Genta spotted Patek executives across the dining room of a Geneva hotel. By dessert, he had sketched the Nautilus on a napkin. The next day, the legend began.
2. It was steel — and scandalously expensive. Launched in 1976, the Nautilus was priced higher than most gold watches. Patek’s pitch? “One of the world’s costliest watches is made of steel.” Nobody clapped. At first.
3. Its shape was inspired by a ship’s porthole. The rounded octagonal bezel, the side “ears,” the tapering bracelet — all drawn from nautical design. It was sporty, elegant, and unlike anything Patek had ever made. Or anyone else, for that matter.
4. It was a slow burn, not a smash hit. For years, it was the quiet alternative to flashier watches. Then came the 5711. Waitlists ballooned, prices soared, and suddenly the Nautilus was everywhere — and nowhere (unless you knew someone).
5. Its goodbye was more dramatic than most debuts. In 2021, Patek discontinued the 5711. Cue global watch panic. Final editions included an olive green dial and a Tiffany blue model that sold for over $6 million. Not bad for a piece once considered too sporty.
Listen now
Tune in for a story of risk, restraint, and a watch that quietly rewrote the definition of elegance.
Missed previous episodes? Here you go:
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