Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726

The Birth of the Patek Philippe Nautilus

 Last year, Patek Philippe celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Nautilus and with the celebrations came plenty of literature to remind us of how this famed sports luxury watch came to be. Behind the iconic style of the Nautilus is none other than famous watch designer, Gerald Genta—the same man responsible for the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak.

Genta’s aesthetics really spoke to the sensibilities of the era. Life was moving at a faster pace than ever before and people gravitated towards modernity and a more casual lifestyle. But being casual didn’t mean giving up life’s luxuries. In fact, the 1970s was the birth of what can be considered as casual chic—perfect for the jet set.

Inspired by the portholes of a boat—complete with hinges—Genta presented his Nautilus design to Patek Philippe in the mid-1970s and the sporty watch made its debut in 1976. This particular design was so different to anything else the Genevan manufacture had produced prior to that. Initially known for classic dress watches and complex complications, the launch of the robust and contemporary Nautilus signaled a new phase for Patek Philippe. The Nautilus was met with great enthusiasm by the global elite and it continues to be one of the watchmaker’s most popular models.

What is an Annual Calendar Complication?

An annual calendar complication adds the day, date, and month indications to a watch. Often times there’s also a moon phase indicator. This is a watch complication that Patek Philippe patented in 1996.

Unlike a perpetual calendar where the watch will automatically keep the correct date in perpetuity (until March 1, 2100, when the leap year is ignored) an annual calendar has to be manually adjusted once a year at the end of February. This is because the annual calendar function can differentiate between 30 and 31 days, but does not consider the fluctuating dates of February.

The Look of the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726

To add to their already varied Nautilus collection, Patek Philippe took one of their most well-known complications, the annual calendar, and added it to the Nautilus line with the ref. 5726. The Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726 takes the sportiness of the Nautilus design and completes it with the practicality of the annual calendar function.

Launched in 2010, the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726 remains in the brand’s current catalog. It sports the characteristic porthole shaped case crafted in stainless steel and measures a generous 40.5mm. It is, of course, topped with the famous rounded octagonal bezel and the hinge-like “ears”.

On the black dial of the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726 are the signature horizontal grooves that also lend a nautical vibe to the timepiece. Complementing the three center hands on the dial are the annual calendar functions.

Just under 12 o’clock sits the duo of windows indicating the day and month while the subdial at 6 o’clock displays the date and the moon phase. Although this seems like a lot of information, Patek manages to maintain that beautiful balance that they’re so adept at.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726 is paired with an ultra-luxe hand-stitched matte black alligator strap with rectangular scales. There’s also the matching stainless steel fold-over clasp engraved with the Nautilus name.

The Caliber of the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726

Powering the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726 is the Patek Philippe Caliber 324 S QA LU 24H/303 mechanical self-winding movement. Providing the day, date, month, moon phase indicators, in addition to the time function, this Patek automatic movement offers a power reserve range of 35 to 45 hours.

Operating at 28,8000 beats per hour (4 Hz), you can admire the caliber via the exhibition sapphire caseback when you flip the watch over.

The epitome of casual chic, the Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Ref. 5726 is a fantastic iteration of Patek’s famed luxury sports watch that is both highly attractive and perfectly practical.