Patek Philippe Aquanaut

Born in 1997, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut is a classic ‘90s baby… Minimal, striking and full of contradiction. You may recognize the Aquanaut’s shape if you’re familiar with its more popular older sister, the Nautilus, which had already made waves in the ‘70s (paving the way for a new idea of luxury encased in a sports watch). Both designed by Gèrald Genta, the Aquanaut is also a sports watch; but Genta's reinterpreted case shape, fitted upon the rubber “Tropical” strap, is even more low-key. The Nautilus was flashy when it debuted, advertised as one of the world’s costliest sports watches, and it enjoyed popularity throughout the “greed is good” ‘80s… but as cultural climates shifted and Wall Street gave way to the dot com boom, flash gave way to utilitarianism, as embodied in the Aquanaut. Make no mistake, though. The Aquanaut delivers a signature elegance in the way only Patek Philippe can. The decidedly casual rubber strap (whose pattern is mirrored on the dial) is joined by a jewelry-like deployant clasp, driving home this watch’s elegant, irresistible tension. We could gush over this watch all day, but let us say that we especially love this reference for its size (“teeny tiny”). Overlooked by collectors – but not for long – this Aquanaut deserves a spot in someone special’s collection. Could it be yours? 

THE BASICS

REFERENCE 4960A-010

DATE OF BIRTH: Circa 1990’s  

MATERIAL: Stainless steel

SIZE: 28mm

MOVEMENT: cal. E19 C quartz, 7 jewels

CONDITION: Good, unpolished

BOX/PAPERS: No/No

THE NITTY GRITTY: 

A stainless steel Patek Philippe Aquanaut on rubber bracelet. This is perhaps, alongside the Nautilus, one of the most iconic and sought after wristwatches in the world. When it comes to steel sport watches, trust Patek to deliver one of the most recognizable, desirable and expensive options! 

A child of the 1970’s, The Nautilus had already paved the way for Patek Philippe to enter the luxury sport watch market. Fast forward to 1997, and it was time for Patek to add a new design to its offering. Welcome to the world… the Aquanaut, a true child of the 1990’s. Its design reinterpreted the Nautilus’s signature porthole shape but made it feel a little more modern and a suitable foil for those that either had a Nautilus or looked for something different altogether – all sitting on a new brick pattern rubber strap which references the dial’s design. This was then paired with a beautifully made stainless steel butterfly deployant buckle.

The reference 4960 was released in 1998, available in a gold livery from 2002 before the reference was discontinued in 2007. This makes this a fairly short run from Patek and a watch that will very much become collectible. A shame that this size no longer exists in the line, but a great chance to add one to a collection.

The watch appears to be unpolished. There is wear to the case (at the top of the brushed bezel) and some caseback wear to the tool spaces. However, the watch is in overall strong condition and is commensurate with age for a piece that is over 20 years old. The distinctive and unique dial is in perfect condition, and the Tritium on the dial has already aged into an attractive warm lemon colour with matching original hand set. The band and deployant are in excellent condition.

This is a rare opportunity to own a wonderful watch that is perhaps at just the beginning of its journey of collectibility. Being that it is no longer in production today, this will soon become a modern classic.

All watches are protected against mechanical failure under a 1 year warranty by Foundwell.