Patek Philippe’s Nautilus wristwatch was released in1976, quickly becoming an instant success that has been a mainstay of the brand’s product line ever since. The Gerald Genta-designed luxury sports watch took its inspiration from Captain Nemo’s Nautilus submarine from Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Nicknamed the “Jumbo”, its 42mm case featured a wide, fat bezel and an integrated bracelet, which was far sportier than any gold gentlemen’s dress watch of the era. Over the ensuing years, the Nautilus continued to evolve, with many different variants such as the 3800/1 in 1981 with a smaller 37mm case diameter, the brand’s first Nautilus with a complication, the reference 3710 released in 1998 with power reserve, and the reference 3712 released in 2005 with power reserve, calendar, and moon phase complications. In 2006,to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Nautilus, Patek Philippe released the reference 5980 - the first Nautilus chronograph. Today, the iconic case design is immediately recognizable and the Nautilus has become one of the most sought after timepieces for its masculine and sporty aesthetic, which is perfectly suited for casual or dressy occasions.

The present Nautilus reference 5711P/1P was released in 2016 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Nautilus and pays tribute to the first Nautilus “Jumbo” reference 3700/1A with date. For this special occasion, the watch is cased in luxurious platinum and features elegant and tasteful diamond-set hour markers. Released alongside another special edition Nautilus, the reference 5976/1G chronograph in white gold, they were offered in a limited edition of 700 examples for the platinum 5711P/1P and 1300 examples for the white gold 5796/1G. Both watches feature a blue dial, baguette diamond hour markers, and “1976-40-2016” embossed on the dial at 6 o’clock.

Fresh-to-the-market, factory sealed, and complete with its cork box and certificate of origin, the present lot is a rare opportunity to own an important, milestone Nautilus model.