Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5168G

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The 1990s saw the arrival of smart-casual and business-casual clothing in the workplace. The Patek Philippe Aquanaut—which drew inspiration from the smaller ref. 3800 Nautilus—was launched in 1997 as the perfect watch for this era of fashion: it was suitable for diving and other sporty activities but could be worn equally well in the boardroom.The Aquanaut bears a striking resemblance to the Nautilus with its porthole-inspired octagonal bezel and with alternating satin-brushed and polished finishes. Nevertheless, it has a uniquely sporty look thanks to the embossed dial and the matching embossed rubber strap.The ref. 5168G was introduced in 2017 to mark the Aquanaut’s 20th anniversary. While the original Aquanaut sported a stainless steel case with a black dial and black rubber strap, the anniversary edition changed all that. The ref. 5168G features a 42.2 mm ‘Jumbo’ case crafted from hefty 18k white-gold. The watch also features a display sapphire case back that provides an uncensored view of the expertly finished automatic movement with a 21k yellow-gold rotor.The dial is executed with a beautiful gradient effect that shifts from royal blue in the centre to almost pitch black at the edge. Otherwise, the dial sports the iconic embossed pattern that can also be found on the matching blue rubber strap, applied 18k white-gold Arabic numerals with luminous compound, and a discreet date window at the 3 o’clock position.This 5168G dates back 2018 and comes as a full set with the original box and papers as well an 18k white-gold butterfly clasp.

Introduction

Patek PhilippePatek Philippe’s mechanical masterpieces are usually made from precious metals but its sporty steel Nautilus and Aquanaut lines have been popular as well since their introduction in the 1970s and 1990s, respectively.AquanautThe Aquanaut was first released in 1996 as a Nautilus variant with lugs. That's right, a Nautilus with lugs. This limited edition ref. 5060J in yellow gold came on a leather strap. Clearly influenced by the Nautilus, it had the same porthole-shape case and similar dimensions as the midsize ref. 3800 Nautilus, but lacked the integrated bracelet and iconic ears on the sides of the case. Its successor, the 5060A introduced in 1997, was the first proper watch to be advertised as an Aquanaut. This stainless steel Aquanaut was the first to be fitted on a durable rubber strap and black embossed dial with the texture matching the strap, giving the impression of continuity like the Nautilus. The 5060J and 5060A were released in limited numbers only, but were soon followed by the 5065A and 5065J ‘Jumbo’ references with a slightly larger (38 mm) case in 1998.

Specifications

Shipping

Packages are generally dispatched within 2 days after receipt of payment and are shipped within the Netherlands by Registered Mail through the Dutch carrier PostNL and for other countries by Fedex. Consult us if you prefer another method of shipping. For most destinations tracking is available.