Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Moonphase Review
Legendary watch designer Gerald Genta has a way of doling out one iconic watch after another. Read our review of the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Moonphase in Stainless Steel ref # 5726/1a-001.
Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Moonphase Review - ref# 5726/1a-001
Annual Calendar - Dial - Case - Bezel - Case Back - Movement - Craftsmanship
ABOUT THE PATEK PHILIPPE NAUTILUS: From iconic watches such as the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak and Omega Constellation to the BVLGARI BVLGARI and the IWC Ingenieur, Geral Genta has inspired watchmakers for generations to come. From the initial release of the AP Royal Oak in 1972, Patek Philippe realized that it needed to hire Genta to create a design that would cater to a younger generation. It would need to be a watch with a unique free-spirited design that would stand the test of time.
The first Nautilus was released in 1976 and things haven’t slowed down for the Nautilus. Today it is one of the most sought-after watches on the planet. Let’s get up close and personal with what many watch aficionados call their dream watch.
ANNUAL CALENDAR: For a mechanical watch the Annual calendar is possibly one of the most useful complications. It’s easy to set and is pretty low-maintenance meaning that you only need to adjust the calendar once every four years when it’s a leap year. The annual calendar is adjusted with recessed micro-pushers found on the side of the case using a small pen-shaped tool provided by Patek Philippe.
This particular annual calendar watch uses a double window for the day and month which is located at the 12 o’clock position and situated under the Patek Philippe logo wordmark with the word printed Geneve just beneath the day/month aperture.
The date window is located at the 6 o’clock position. Just below the Moonphase window and the sub-register for the 24-hour day/night indicator which lets the wearer know if it is set to morning or night.
DIAL: On the grey radial gradient dial you will notice an extremely clean layout that is both balanced and symmetrical. The iconic horizontal lined guilloche pattern provides depth and dimension to the dial layout. Its appliqué hour markers are luminous and very visible in low light conditions.
The typography used on this watch from the logo to the annual calendar windows and even the numerals used on the day/night indicator are all clean, clear, and legible and use a sans serif font.
CASE: One of the most distinguishable features of the Nautilus watch is the octagonal case shape which became the signature of Gerald Genta on a few iconic watches. Legend has it that this shape was modeled after the shape of a submarine porthole.
At the time when the Nautilus was first introduced, it was a rather large watch for its time at a 40mm case size. While the growing trend is that watches are getting larger, the Patek Philippe Nautilus model # 5726/1a-001 has a size that is truer to the original at only 40.5mm, a case thickness of 11.30 mm, and carries a water resistance of 120m/400ft thanks to the screw-down crown.
BEZEL: The case of the Nautilus has a very distinct bezel with unmistakable “ears” on either side of the case. One side is meant for the hinge and the other is for the closure.
One of the most beautiful things about the case is the remarkable finishing which applies both a fine unidirectional brushed finish on the case, inner bezel, and bracelet and uses a polished finish on the outer bezel, inner links on the bracelet, screw-in crown, and the inner hinge and closure of the bezel’s “ears”.
CASE BACK: The reverse side of the case is a piece of absolute beauty with a transparent sapphire case back. This is the window to the beating heart of this work of horological art.
MOVEMENT: An In-house Patek Philippe 324 S QA LU 24H caliber with its 21kt Yellow Gold self-winding weighted rotor powers the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Moonphase 5726/1a-001.
The Patek Philippe caliber 324 S QA LU 24H is a 4Hz caliber that resonates at a steady 28,800 oscillations per hour. It contains 34 jewels and is equipped with Patek Philippe’s proprietary Spiromax® balance spring with its signature terminal curve made of Silinvar®, a magnetic resistant material produced from silicon.
This watch movement is also fitted with their Gyromax® balance, a free-sprung balance system that requires no regulator. This patented Patek Philippe innovation minimizes resistance and provides a larger moment of inertia in the balance. This automatic movement has a power reserve that will last up to 45 hours.
The rotor was designed with a striking shape to it as if to take on the persona of a nautical anchor and it is engraved with a Calatrava cross; the hallmark of Patek Philippe’s commitment to perfection.
Several painstaking finishing processes harmonize in unison to create a movement that would be aesthetically magnetic.
CRAFTSMANSHIP: There is no mistaking Patek Philippe’s attention to every minute detail in crafting this masterpiece. They have polished and finished this watch with tremendous precision ensuring that the polished bezel has a razor-sharp edge all the way up to where the brushed finish starts.
There’s no question that there is much that must go into a watch with a high five-figure price tag like this one. With the Nautilus, Patek Philippe has created a watch that is nothing short of remarkable and holds its value incredibly well. Be sure to contact us if you would like one for yourself.
