Hands-On: The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726/1A

A Blue Dial And Bracelet Make The Difference

BY ROBERT-JAN BROER

Hands-On: The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726/1A

Nothing really new under the Sun with this Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726/1A, but you bet that they need to create (another) waiting list for it. We’re talking about the Nautilus with annual calendar and moon phases display.

It is no secret that I love and respect the Patek Philippe Nautilus. The original reference 3700/1A being my favourite by far, with the original monobloc case construction (porthole) and caliber 28-255C movement. A close second is a watch that was introduced 30 years later and stayed very close to the original design, the reference 5711/1A. I did a comparison article between the original Patek Philippe Nautilus 3700/1A and the (current) reference 5711/1A here.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726/1A

Today, I am looking at one of the variations of the Nautilus, one with an annual calendar and moon phases indicator. It is the Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 5726/1A and introduced as a novelty this year in Baselworld. But wait, we’ve seen a Nautilus with annual calendar and moon phases display before. That’s correct, they actually introduced a Nautilus reference 5726A in 2010 with a black dial and a leather strap.

The new Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726/1A is not much different, however, it does have a stainless steel bracelet instead of the leather strap and it comes with a beautiful blue dial. The blue dial is based on the original Patek reference 3700/1A that I mentioned above, with a horizontal embossing and colour grading from blue to black. White gold hour markers and hands are applied with lume for better readability in low-light condition.

Two apertures at 12 o’clock show the day and the month, while the date is at 6 o’clock. The small hand at 6 o’clock is the 24-hour indicator and in the same subdial, you’ll find the moon phases. On the Nautilus 5711/1A, you will find the date at 3 o’clock, which I find a bit more elegant.  For me, the date at 6 o’clock in this 5726/1A is a bit off and should be positioned a bit more away from the rehaut. Perhaps I could have done without the 24-hour indicator and have used the subdial as date indicator instead. Not sure, but it appears a bit like they had one little element left, the date window, and just needed to put it somewhere where it would still keep the design symmetrical. It isn’t a dealbreaker for me, but on the other hand, if you spending these amounts of money on a timepiece, it should be as close to perfect as possible.

Differences with the 5711/1A

Normally I would say that you shouldn’t mess with an original, but in the end, you should buy what you like. Also, if you already have the 3700/1A or 5711/1A, and looking for something to add, the 5726/1A is an excellent reference. Besides functionality, there’s a small difference in the dimensions of these watches. The Nautilus 5726/1A is with its 40.5mm x 11.3mm a bit larger than the time only reference 5711/1A with its 40mm x 8.3mm. Our photo below shows clearly that this Nautilus 5726/1A is a bit thicker than the three hands version. The water resistance of 120 meters is identical, of course. In the side of the case, you will find small correctors for the calendar complication.

Another difference with the ref. 5711/1A Nautilus is the thickness of the bracelet. As the case is a bit thicker, Patek Philippe made sure that the bracelet is a bit thicker as well, so it is a better fit with the case.

Caliber 324 S QA LU 24H/303

Inside the Nautilus Annual Calendar with moon phases is Patek’s caliber 324 S QA LU 24H/303. Indeed based on the caliber 324 S movement that we’ll find in the Nautilus 5711/1A. Besides the time, it indicates the day, date, month, moon phases and has a 24-hour indicator. The caliber 324 S QA LU 24H/303 consists of 347 parts and can be admired through the sapphire case back.

As always, the finishing is sublime and the rotor is made of 21-carat gold. Then there’s the Geneva striping on the bridges (10 in total) and perlage on the main plate. The movement ticks at 28,800vph (4hz) and it has a power reserve of max. 45 hours.

Final Words

Aside from my comment on the date aperture, I really love this Nautilus variation. Agreed, it is only an aesthetical update of something that was already there for 9 years, but the blue dial and stainless steel bracelet make it an interesting addition. In 2010, the Nautilus annual calendar with moon phases was introduced with a black dial and leather strap and in 2012 we saw the version with a white dial (and stainless steel bracelet). So far, this is my favourite.

The retail price is €41.320,- (including VAT) but that doesn’t say much these days as you know. It is all about availability, or the lack thereof to be more precise. If you are lucky enough to afford one and lucky enough to get one allocated, you won’t be disappointed for sure.