Hodinkee
Hands-On: The Patek Philippe 50th Anniversary Nautilus Collection, Reference 5810G and 5610G
Here's the thing. The 50th Anniversary Nautilus Collection was going to sell no matter what caliber was used, what case material was chosen, or what format was given. This is just a reality of the strength of Patek Philippe in the world today, and how in-demand integrated bracelet watches are. And to be clear, the Nautilus, along with the Royal Oak, set the tone long ago and remains at the pinnacle of the category. Actually, one would say the Nautilus remains at the pinnacle of *watches* in general when it comes to simple demand. It's the one that the most powerful people I know lust after the most – and I'm not saying that's good or bad, but it really just is. And here's the thing: the 40th anniversary of the Nautilus was a bit of a let-down for me. Because the Nautilus really is *the watch* for so many of us, and indeed, I am a true fan and always have been, and indeed, always will be, no matter how many dinguses I see wearing them today. 3700G Circa 1980, 5711R Circa 2015, 5811G Circa 2024 – Yes, I like the Nautilus a lot. As many of you know, the very first Patek Philippe I ever purchased was a 3940G. The very second? A Nautilus reference 3700A (I paid $18,000 for it, in a group buy with Paul Boutros, who bought a 222 for even less 😵💫). Some years later, I bought a very rare 3700G (I sold it to a close friend and mentor when he sold his company because it was something he'd always dreamed of owning). In 2015, when Nautiluses were still sitting in cases,...
