Patek Philippe is a brand renowned for its luxury timepieces and exquisite designs, and is celebrated today as the last remaining family-run Genevan watch manufacturing company in the world. Founded in 1839, the enduring popularity of the brand is testament to both the quality seen in every individual model and the innovation at the heart of each collection – with the Nautilus watch arguably the most iconic, famous, and sought-after brand that Patek Philippe has ever released.
Designed by Gerald Genta, who had, less than five years before, designed the Royal Oak watch for Audemars Piguet, the Patek Philippe Nautilus fast became the most sought-after luxury sports watch on the market. Not only did the Nautilus embody the functional hallmarks of a luxury sports watch, but it also marked a move away from Patek Philippe’s standard designs and finishes and brought the watchmaking brand to a new market.
With that said, why is the Nautilus a must-have for collectors today? Let’s take a closer look.
How the Design Inspiration Behind the Nautilus Boosts Its Demand
Famously designed by Gerald Genta, the Nautilus was created as a reaction to the formation of the luxury sports watch market – a style of watch that was founded with the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, and which countless other brands sought to replicate in the years after.
Genta was said to have taken the rounded watch face design from nautical influences, emulating the shape of a porthole, with mounts on each side of the watch face that represented the watertight hinges of a porthole window.
The material chosen was known to be able to withstand extreme pressures and temperatures, while the built-in calibre was the best on the market at the time.
As is always the case, new models featured a variety of adjustments in colour and size, with the years since its release making the Nautilus increasingly accessible to a wider market. However, for the most part, the original design remains very much intact and at the centre of the timepiece’s popularity.
And let’s not understate the role that Gerald Genta played, as a known creative, in helping to carry Patek Philippe to new heights and success with the design of the Nautilus.
The Role of Quality
When we talk about the quality of the Nautilus and the role that quality plays in its status as a must-have among collectors today, we need to focus on both the quality of the materials used and the craftsmanship used to put it all together.
The Nautilus wasn’t just a first for Patek Philippe in terms of its design, but also in the materials used. The entire watch was crafted from stainless steel rather than the popular fine gold of the brand’s classic watches, and exuded a much chunkier finish – in line with its brief of being a leading sports watch.
The craftsmanship used to pull the design together is something that all luxury brands have in common, though Patek Philippe holds a slight edge over the rest of the market owing to its long history and its reputation as the last remaining family-run watchmaker in Geneva.
This combination of design and material quality creates a timepiece that doesn’t just make headlines for its functional features and A-list fanbase. It also contributes towards the Nautilus being seen as a model that is built to last.
Marketing Tactics Used to Boost the Demand of the Nautilus
Another thing you will notice across a range of different luxury brands is the tactics that they employ in their marketing. Rolex is one such brand that pays huge attention to its marketing and the way that each model is perceived on the market, bridging the elegant and effortless style of its watches with their functional assets and the plethora of professional upgrades that each model benefits from.
The release of the Nautilus marked such a change in Patek Philippe’s repertoire that, while it retained the quality and vision that the brand is known for, it made headlines all on its own.
For example, the Nautilus was nicknamed ‘Jumbo’ owing to its size and chunky design. What’s more, the price tag attached raised eyebrows and drew attention to the piece, with the brand itself advertising that “One of the world’s costliest watches is made of steel”.
Another marketing move made by the Patek Philippe brand with regard to the Nautilus model was the unexpected discontinuation of the timepiece as it stood. First released with a blue dial, when Patek Philippe announced that this model was being discontinued, without providing further information, demand spiked as collectors sought to get their hands on the iconic Nautilus. Of course, it was later found that the Nautilus was being re-released but with an olive-green watch face – though, by then, headlines had been made and the Nautilus was an even more coveted and sought-after timepiece than before.
What all of this tells us is that, while quality plays its part, and the inspiration and story behind the Nautilus is undoubtedly important in securing its status among buyers and collectors, the market is always heavily impacted by the demands of others and the position of the timepiece on the market.
Should You Buy a Patek Philippe Nautilus?
Now that you know a bit more about why the Nautilus is so sought after among collectors, is it the right investment for you?
We cannot overlook the role of budget in securing a Nautilus. These timepieces are among the most expensive, with the demand for every available model only serving to push the price tag even higher.
But, for those who are seeking a tangible and long-lasting investment, a Nautilus watch will not just hold its value but increase in value over time. Provided you secure your watch from a reputable seller with proper authentication checks and certification, a Nautilus is an unrivalled investment for all buyer types.