Founded in 1839, Patek Philippe is the last independent, family-owned Genevan watch manufacture. With a vibrant, uninterrupted operating history spanning nearly 180 years, the company benefits from a unique legacy of tradition and innovation. From Antoine Norbert de Patek’s encounter with Jean Adrien Philippe to Thierry Stern’s presidency, from the first pocket watches to the very latest supercomplications – discover the pivotal events that forged the history of Patek Philippe and the entire watchmaking industry. Swiss luxury watch and clock manufacturer Patek Philippe introduced the Nautilus timepiece in 1976. However, it wasn’t the first high-end sports watch available in steel, as Audemars Piguet released the coveted Royal Oak watch in 1972. Still, the Nautilus commanded higher prices, and the advertisements for the first model stressed this idea with the tagline, “One of the world’s costliest watches is made of steel.” The Nautilus’ unique shape drew attention as well. The bezel wasn’t round or rectangular. Instead, it’s an octagon whose edges curve outward. The Nautilus has a diameter of 42 mm, which made it ahead of its time in terms of size. In comparison, this renowned Patek Philippe watch was 3 mm bigger than the Royal Oak. In 1974, Gérald Genta — the man behind the design of Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak watches — showed his sketch for the Nautilus to Patek Philippe. A ship’s porthole was Genta’s inspiration for the unusual shape of the case, which had a rounded octagonal bezel, as well as “ears” on the case for a closure on one side and a hinge on the other. Embossed horizontal indentations on the dial and the attached metal bracelet contributed to the watch’s distinctive appeal, making it easy to recognize. During this time, Patek Philippe collections were predominantly of elegant gold timepieces with sophisticated features, including minute repeaters and perpetual calendars. Therefore, some questioned whether such a sizable and sporty timepiece would be an appropriate addition. Regardless, Patek Philippe introduced the now-iconic watch under the name “Nautilus” about two years later. Patek Philippe didn’t introduce its flagship timepiece until 1932 after it was certain all previous designs had culminated in the perfect watch creation worthy of their customer’s attention. A tribute to German Bauhaus design and architecture as well as Patek Philippe’s avant-garde philosophy, the name Calatrava comes from the cross used as the watchmaker’s emblem. Patek Philippe didn’t introduce its flagship timepiece until 1932 after it was certain all previous designs had culminated in the perfect watch creation worthy of their customer’s attention. A tribute to German Bauhaus design and architecture as well as Patek Philippe’s avant-garde philosophy, the name Calatrava comes from the cross used as the watchmaker’s emblem. According to popular belief, the very first grand complication Patek was ordered in 1910, while Packard's watch in 1916 was the second watch. With the discovery of this watch, which was produced in 1898 and sold in 1900, the history of mega-complicated watches.Patek Philipe launched the Aquanaut range in 1997 as a limited-edition lower-priced alternative to the existing Nautilus range, which was no longer selling well. A true sports watch, the Aquanaut features a rugged three-part case and screw-down crown for 120 meter water resistance, the most of any watch with a sapphire caseback at that time. The first edition was a 1,000-piece limited series, Ref. 5060A and 5060J in stainless steel and yellow gold, respectively. Because it sold out quickly, Patek Philippe released an unlimited model later that year, the "Jumbo" Ref. 5065 Aquanaut, with a 38 mm steel case and rubber strap, a first for Patek Philippe. This was followed by Ref. 5066, which featured the same midsize case as the limited edition model but with a sapphire display caseback added. A quartz Aquanaut (Ref. 5064) and smaller quartz ladies Aquanaut Ref. 4960 and 4961 were launched later. The first-generation Aquanaut was retired in 2006.

The second-generation Aquanaut was introduced at the 2007 Baselworld fair. It features a larger 40 mm case, new movements (notably Cal. 324), a contoured rubber strap, new style deployant clasp, and different dial. A Ladies automatic model replaced the old medium-sized reference, and he first-generation men's quartz models was retired. The first-ever Aquanaut chronograph, Ref. 5968, was introduced in 2018.You are likely familiar with the Twenty-4 as Patek Philippe's main women's collection. It was first launched in 1999 and is known for its rectangular design and articulated bracelet. The Twenty-4 has been the most popular women's collection produced by Patek for years and now there is a new addition, the Twenty-4 Automatic. While this watch looks absolutely nothing like the original Twenty-4, it is easy to argue that it has a lot more to offer. It features the same articulated bracelet, but with a more traditional round case, Arabic numerals (that personally remind me of the pilot's watch ref. 7234R released earlier this year), and an automatic movement. This last bit is a first for the collection, since all previous Twenty-4 models contained quartz calibers. The Twenty-4 Automatic comes in five versions across three references and is powered by the caliber 324 S C (also used in the ref. 5711 and other men's references). It measures 36mm in diameter and is available in stainless steel with a grey or blue dial and diamond bezel, rose gold with a brown or silvered dial and diamond bezel, and rose gold with a silvered dial and a diamond-set case and bracelet.