Patek Philippe 2018 Nautilus 5726/1A

Famed as one of the most iconic timepieces in watchmaking, the Patek Philippe Nautilus entered the world of watchmaking in 1976 to a bewildered reception at the Baselworld trade fair. Designed by Gerald Genta, the Nautilus took inspiration from his earlier design, the Royal Oak, with an integrated bracelet, a rounded octagonal bezel, an engraved blue-grey dial, and a large yet thin profile on the wrist. Since then, the Nautilus has evolved into one of the most sought-after watches in the market today. While the time-only variant is the original kid on the block, the complicated variants are the heavy hitters that show what the collection can really become.

Following a slew of updates to the collection in 2006, Patek Philippe continued the Nautilus' evolution and released the ref. 5726 in 2010. Featuring an annual calendar through its beautifully finished automatic cal. 26‑330 S QA LU 24H movement, it was the first time Patek had ever fitted a stainless steel watch with their iconic complication. Having only invented the annual calendar less than two decades ago, the ref. 5726 showed just how seriously Patek Philippe thought of the Nautilus to give it such a brand-defining complication.

Today, the ref. 5726 straddles the very upper echelons of the Nautilus market thanks to its satisfyingly symmetrical dial, iconic design, and practical utility. With a date aperture at 6 o'clock, a 24-hour indicator, and moon phase sharing a subdial just above and day and month apertures splitting the "Patek Philippe Geneve" inscription at 12 o'clock, the ref. 5726 is a beautifully designed watch and a truly iconic member of the Nautilus collection, to say the least.