The Aquanaut is the quintessential business-casual timepiece, seamlessly combining the understated luxury of the Nautilus with a more contemporary and sporting character. With its embossed dial and tropical rubber strap, the Aquanaut introduced an entirely new aesthetic to the world of high-end watchmaking.

Introduced in 1997, the reference 5060 marked the debut of the Aquanaut collection and was conceived as the younger, sportier sibling of the Nautilus. While clearly inspired by Gérald Genta’s iconic design language, the 5060 established a distinct identity of its own. The rounded octagonal bezel, reminiscent of a ship’s porthole, features alternating satin-brushed and polished finishes, complemented by a beautifully polished case. What truly sets the watch apart, however, is its embossed black dial and matching rubber strap, details that gave the Aquanaut a fresh and decidedly modern appeal at the time.

The reference 5060 enjoyed only a brief production run before being succeeded in 1998 by the larger reference 5065. As a result, it is estimated that only around 1,000 examples were produced across both steel and gold variants, making the inaugural Aquanaut one of the rarest and most collectible references within the lineage today.

This example is housed in the original and wonderfully proportioned 36mm case and is fitted with a straight-end olive-green Patek Philippe tropical strap, an especially attractive combination. The watch is accompanied by its original papers from legendary retailer Gubelin, where it was sold in 1998.