Patek Philippe shows the Nautilus 5811/1G – but not in steel

Watch enthusiasts were deeply shocked at the beginning of the year – the Swiss manufacturer Patek Philippe had discontinued the Nautilus 5711 three-hand watch, making it an icon of the art of watchmaking. The prices shot up to unprecedented heights. Patek now presented the successor with the usual composure: the . The “G” stands for “white gold”, there is actually no longer a steel version.

The watch comes with a few, sometimes very subtle, changes. The classic design penned by Gérald Genta remains unchanged. The dial is kept in dark blue, offers a sunburst decoration and runs black on the sides.

A little bigger, but essentially the same

The case is slightly larger and measures 41 millimeters diagonally. Patek Philippe states that the case is made of only two parts. The previous model with number 5711 consisted of three parts, the reduction is an approximation of the original from the seventies. A sapphire crystal on the back reveals the movement.

Here Patek Philippe is not particularly creative and relies on the in-house movement number “26-330 SC” with a comparatively low power reserve of 45 hours. The movement can also be found in the steel versions that Patek no longer makes.

Anyone who actually wears the watch despite the high price of 68,620 euros will be delighted with the new folding clasp, which can also be extended for the first time. This is a blessing, especially in the case of strong temperature fluctuations.

Patek could “never survive” with steel watches

It was a conscious decision for Patek Philippe to no longer make the Nautilus out of steel, company boss Thierry Stern revealed in an interview with “”. He is convinced that Patek “should not produce too many steel watches,” it says.

He cites the comparatively low margins that result from the sale of steel watches as the reason. The 2,400 employees of the manufactory could “never survive” if they relied entirely on steel. A price increase to the level of the current market prices is not a solution for Stern – even if he could certainly sell the Nautilus for twice as much. That’s “not Patek’s style,” explains the company owner.

So you shouldn’t expect a “cheaper” steel version at first. This also means that there is still no limit to speculation with the steel Nautilus 5711 – even if it seems strange to pay more money for steel when a gold model can theoretically be had for cheaper prices. The watches, which were available at around 30,000 euros when they were released, now cost between 100,000 and 180,000 euros, depending on their condition, color and scope of delivery.

Similar price jumps can also be expected for the 5811. In an interview with the “NZZ”, Stern says that the plan is “that every retailer receives at least one piece per year”. However, there are not too many official points of sale for Patek Philippe – so the expected production is manageable. In total, it is said, only 68,000 watches leave the factory every year.