Patek Philippe Nautilus: history, models and prices

The Patek Philippe Nautilus is the steel sports watch designed by Gérald Genta and launched in 1976, with a porthole-shaped case. Its most famous version, the 5711/1A (2006–2021), listed at about $30,620 but sells for around $136,000 pre-owned. Today's Nautilus range starts with the ladies' 7118 at about $39,000; the white gold 5811 is the 5711's successor.

Launched	1976, Basel
Designer	Gérald Genta
Inspiration	A ship's porthole
Original reference	3700/1A "Jumbo"
Record sale	5711 Tiffany blue, $6.5M (2021)
Cheapest Patek today	Twenty~4 quartz, about $16,000

A steel watch from the most exclusive name in watchmaking

Four years after his Royal Oak for Audemars Piguet, Gérald Genta drew a sports watch for Patek Philippe. Legend says he sketched it on a napkin while watching Patek executives dine. The case was shaped like a ship's porthole, with "ears" on each side like the hinges of a porthole window, and a horizontally embossed dial. Patek advertised it as "one of the world's costliest watches" that "is made of steel".

The original reference 3700/1A, made from 1976 to 1990, measured 42 mm across its ears, huge for the time, and was nicknamed the "Jumbo". The model that made the Nautilus a legend arrived in 2006: the 5711/1A, with a blue-black gradient dial. Demand grew so far beyond supply that waiting lists stretched for years and pre-owned prices rose to several times retail. Patek discontinued it in 2021, closing with 170 pieces with Tiffany-blue dials; one sold at Phillips for $6.5 million.

Nautilus models and prices

Reference	What it is	US list price	Pre-owned (approx.)
3700/1A "Jumbo"	The 1976 original, steel, 42 mm, made until 1990	n/a	six figures
5711/1A	Time and date, steel, 2006 to 2021	last list $30,620	about $136,000
5711/1A-018 Tiffany blue	170 pieces, 2021	$52,635	one sold for $6.5 million
5712/1A	Moonphase, power reserve, date hand, micro-rotor; steel version dropped in 2025	last list $51,850	about $181,600
5811/1G	White gold successor to the 5711, 41 mm, launched 2022	about $82,000 to $90,000	about $190,000
5726/1A	Annual calendar with moonphase	about $68,700	about $90,600
7118/1A	Ladies' Nautilus, steel	about $39,300	about $72,000

Patek updates its price list often, and many Nautilus models are only offered to established clients, so pre-owned prices are far above list. Treat these figures as approximate 2025 to 2026 guides.

The Nautilus 5712

The 5712/1A adds a moonphase, a power reserve indicator, a date hand and small seconds, driven by Patek's thin caliber 240 with a micro-rotor, in a 40 mm case just 8.5 mm thick. Its asymmetric dial makes it the favorite of many collectors. The steel version disappeared from Patek's catalog in 2025, which pushed its pre-owned price close to $180,000.

Other famous Patek models

5905: a flyback chronograph with an annual calendar (caliber CH 28-520 QA 24H), introduced in 2015; the steel 5905/1A with an olive dial launched in 2021 at $59,140.
World Time (5230 and 5330): shows all 24 time zones on a city ring. The 5330G with date launched in 2017 at $49,350. Vintage world timers like the 2523 have sold for over $10 million; see the most expensive watches.
Calatrava: the classic dress watch since 1932.
Aquanaut: the Nautilus's sportier, rubber-strapped younger sibling (1997).
Twenty~4: Patek's ladies' collection, launched in 1999.

What is the cheapest Patek Philippe?

The least expensive new Patek is usually a quartz Twenty~4, around $16,000 in the US. Pre-owned, Twenty~4 models start around $12,000 to $15,000, and older Calatravas and vintage Patek pocket watches can be found for less. Every Patek, cheap or not, comes with the brand's promise to service any watch it has made since 1839.

Questions people ask

How much is a Patek Philippe Nautilus?

New Nautilus models list from about $39,000 (ladies' 7118) to $90,000 (white gold 5811). Pre-owned, the steel 5711 sells for around $136,000 and the 5712 around $180,000.

Why was the 5711 discontinued?

Patek ended the 5711 in 2021, saying it did not want a single steel model to define the brand. A white gold 5811 replaced it in 2022.

What is the Patek 5712?

A steel or gold Nautilus with moonphase, power reserve, date and small seconds, powered by the micro-rotor caliber 240. The steel version was dropped in 2025.

What is a Patek 5905?

A flyback chronograph with an annual calendar. The steel 5905/1A launched in 2021.

What is the cheapest Patek Philippe watch?

A quartz Twenty~4, at about $16,000 new.

Sources

Last updated October 18, 2026. Prices are auction hammer-plus-premium results or published list prices as reported by the sources below; retail prices change, so check an authorized dealer before buying. Brand and model names belong to their owners and are used here only to identify the watches; onlineclock.app is not affiliated with any watch brand. Found an error? Tell us.