Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1R-001

There are a select few luxury watches you can spot on a wrist all the way across a room. The Patek Philippe Nautilus is one of them. The most famous Patek Philippe timepiece has a very distinctive appearance but still manages to achieve the understated elegance that eludes all but the truly great. Wear this watch and you will be wearing a legend. Don't be surprised if somebody stops you when you're out and asks to see it. They're probably an avid collector and can't resist the temptation to take a look.
Talking of collectors, Brad Pitt wears one of these. The star is famed for his Patek Philippe collection and the Nautilus is his favourite piece. It's easy to see why. It's no coincidence that this is a Gerald Genta watch. The Nautilus hasn't really changed its classic look and feel since the 1970s, which makes it the embodiment of Patek Philippe's 'look after this for future generations' marketing ethos.
Patek is one of the few luxury watch brands that can really, accurately, claim that its timepieces transcend the lifespans of their owners. The majority of the most expensive watches sold at auction are Patek Philippe pieces, and even modern versions tend to hold their value—making them the best investment watches in the world.
The Nautilus stands out for all the right reasons. It catches the eye because of the things it's not. It isn't brash or gaudy. It has the kind of presence that doesn't require fanfare. This watch doesn't demand your attention; it doesn't even need to ask for it. Your head swivels towards it automatically, almost as though the watch has mesmerised you. The 18 K rose gold bracelet and case is the gold of a setting sun over a field of wheat. The light and chocolate brown gradated dial gives the watch depth, appropriate considering it takes its name from the sub used by the ultimate adventurer, Captain Nemo, in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
The Nautilus has always featured a guilloche dial with those signature horizontal lines. The Nautilus 5711/1R-001 is no exception. This watch also has a rose gold border on the date window at 3, and of course, the gold is an upgrade on the traditional steel. Little else has changed in terms of appearance. There are still centre hour, minute and seconds hands. The hour and minute hands are luminous, as are the hour markers.
The Nautilus is often compared to the classic Audemars Piguet sports watch: the Royal Oak. Both were designed by horological legend Gerald Genta , a visionary renowned for his imaginative, innovative timepieces inspired by simple things of beauty. The first Bulgari Bulgari was inspired by a Roman coin. The Royal Oak by an old-fashioned deep sea diving helmet. The bezel of the original 1974 Nautilus was based on a porthole.
Technically, the Nautilus is a luxury sports watch. But it's much more than that. The sapphire glass display back on the Nautilus 5711/1R-001 is testament to this. No one else can see it but you and those to whom you choose to reveal the quality and intricacy of the automatic movement. This stealth luxury transports the Nautilus from simple sports watch to the realm of the sublime. In essence, you're wearing a secret.
You will never need or even want another watch. The Nautilus will take you from boardroom to bar to black tie event and then all the way to the Bahamas on holiday. Thanks to the fact that it's waterproof to 100 m, you can even wear it to swim. The screw down crown protects the movement in water, and the folding clasp of the bracelet ensures it won't leave your wrist. It's the go anywhere, do anything luxury watch that never looks out of place.
The Nautilus proves an old truism: sometimes the old ways are the best.
Image Credit – officialwatches.com vedere di piu falsi orologi e Breitling Cosmonaute