We were led to believe that the 5711 olive-green dial was meant to be the final Nautilus of its generation, a swansong to the most coveted steel sports piece in the world. That was a lie. Well, sort of. It was the last with only Patek’s name on the dial. Now we have the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 in Tiffany Blue, officially known as the Ref. 5711/1A-018.
This year marks Tiffany’s 170th anniversary and what better way to mark their place in history as arguably the most illustrious jeweller in the world than leveraging their relationship with Patek for a limited edition? This might be the retailer edition to end all retailer editions.
The base model is the same as other versions of the 5711. That means the usual 40mm stainless steel case with its signature muscular shoulders, the legendary integrated bracelet and 120m water resistance. The movement, too, the 26-330 SC, is the same, complete with a 35–45-hour power reserve.
The key difference here is the dial, which is in the baby blue / turquoise (depending on who you ask) of Tiffany. It’s a colour that made the already hard-to-get Rolex Oyster Perpetual downright unobtainable and here makes for a watch that’ll put the X10 mark-up on the olive blue to shame. Which honestly is the only way you’re ever going to be able to get one of these unless you’ve already been promised one.
The smaller difference is the exhibition caseback, which shows off the movement nicely and illustrates, more than Tiffany’s 170th anniversary, just why this watch has been made. You’ll see the 1851-2021 clearly enough but look closely at the last digit and you’ll see the letters L-V-M-H printed on it. That’s because LVMH just acquired Tiffany. This is a watch designed to congratulate the luxury group on said acquisition. Some may say it might also be an ominous prophecy of the ultimate fate of the family owned Patek Philippe.
Looks-wise… well, it’s eye-catching, for better or worse. I think worse, personally, but it’s certainly bold for a Patek Philippe dial. Even if you’re not a fan of the colour, double-signed watches are taking off like they’ve not done since the 1950s (just take a look at this incredibly handsome double signed from Parmigiani) and this is the crest of a new wave.
At the same time, there’s been a lot of people none too pleased that the 5117 green wasn’t actually the last, especially the people that bought them. The fact that this is even rarer at 170 pieces feels like a slap in the face of Patek’s most dedicated collectors. That said, I could never have gotten the olive anyway, so I can’t say I see all that much credence in that argument. It’s not like either is accessible.
The bottom line is that the new Ref. 5711/1A-018 is a rare, limited edition Patek, created in collaboration with their most illustrious retailer at what might be the perfect time in history for it. Even the fact that it’s a Nautilus can get lost in that miasma of collector-baiting prestige.
The first publicly available example will go up for auction at the Phillips New York Watch Auction on the 11th of December. Expect the laughable estimate of $50,000 to be smashed by x10 or even x20.
Price & Specs:
Model: Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-018 Tiffany Blue 170th Anniversary
Reference: 5711/1A-018
Case/Dial: 40mm diameter x 8.3mm height, stainless steel case, dial plate in brass with Tiffany Blue® lacquer and horizontal Nautilus embossing
Water resistance: 120m (12 bar)
Movement: Calibre 26-330 S C, automatic, 30 jewels, 212 parts
Frequency: 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
Power reserve: 35 – 40h
Functions: Hours, minutes, sweeping seconds, date at 3 o’clock
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet
Price/availability: TBC, limited to 170 pieces and available exclusively through Tiffany locations in New York, Beverly Hills, and San Francisco
More details at Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co..
