Patek Philippe

Launched in 1997 and targeted at younger collectors, a lot of whom had just made their money from the 'Dot Com' and stock market boom of the 90s, the Aquanaut was the first collection to be launched by Patek Philippe since the Nautilus in 1976, and was an even larger departure from the brand’s usual offering. It was clear that it was time for the brand to offer a sportier option in their catalog, and the Aquanaut was their answer.

Featuring a distinct and much deeper dial relief than the Nautilus, sometimes compared to a grenade or a globe, it was also the first Patek Philippe to be offered on a rubber strap by default. Perhaps, the most striking and unique feature of the watch is that the rubber strap relief pattern matches the dial, giving the watch a very cohesive design, thus maintaining the appearance of quality whilst being Patek Philippe’s sportiest ever wristwatch.

For the tenth anniversary of the Aquanaut in 2007, the design was modernised yet again. The diameter was increased, and a reworked dial with shallower relief was used. The rubber strap was also changed to look more integrated with the case, thus the gap between the strap and the case was completely filled and the pattern matches the new dial almost exactly. The celebrated reference 5167 was born, and the design that collectors know and love today took shape.