Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711: The Watch That Defined a Generation

What Are the Technical Specifications of the Nautilus Ref. 5711?

• Reference: 5711/1A-010 (blue dial, discontinued 2021)
• Calibre: 315 S C (2006 to 2007) / 324 S C (2007 to 2019) / 26-330 S C (2019 to 2021)
• Power Reserve: 35 to 45 hours
• Case: 40mm diameter (43mm including ears), 8.3mm thickness
• Water Resistance: 120m
• Case Material: Stainless steel, three-part construction
• Dial: Horizontal ribbed blue sunburst, applied hour markers, date aperture
• Caseback: Sapphire crystal, exhibition
• Bracelet: Integrated stainless steel with deployant clasp
• Retail Price: CHF 17,000 at launch (2006); CHF 29,900 at discontinuation (2021)
• Secondary Market (WatchCharts, October 2026): USD 119,943 (5711/1A-010 blue dial)

How Did the Nautilus Begin, and Why Did It Take 30 Years to Return?

Patek Philippe introduced the original Nautilus ref. 3700 “Jumbo” in 1976, designed by Gerald Genta, at a retail price of $3,100, more than many of Patek’s own gold dress watches at the time. The watch entered a market in crisis: the Swiss industry was grappling with the quartz revolution, and Genta’s design for a luxury steel sports watch was a bold commercial gamble. Fewer than 5,000 steel 3700s were ever produced.

Patek discontinued the 3700 in the 1990s, and the Nautilus silhouette lay dormant for over a decade. In 2004, the brand released the ref. 3711 in white gold as a transitional model, with estimated production of fewer than 200 pieces. The modern 5711 followed in 2006 to mark the collection’s 30th anniversary.

At launch, Patek’s own press release described the occasion with characteristic understatement: “Thirty years is not a venerable age for a Patek Philippe collection.” No one in Geneva anticipated what would follow over the next 15 years. The full Nautilus, Aquanaut, Calatrava and Grand Complications lineage is covered in the Patek Philippe guide, and every Nautilus reference, current and discontinued, in our Nautilus reference guide.

What Are the Key Dates in the Nautilus 5711 Story?

• 1976: Patek Philippe launches the Nautilus ref. 3700/1A, designed by Gérald Genta.
• 2004: The white gold ref. 3711 bridges the gap to a new steel Nautilus.
• 2006: The ref. 5711/1A marks the collection’s 30th anniversary.
• 2007: Calibre 324 S C replaces the short-lived calibre 315 S C.
• 2012: The white-dial ref. 5711/1A-011 joins the blue dial.
• 2015: The rose gold ref. 5711/1R arrives with an integrated gold bracelet.
• 2018: The Patek Philippe signature moves to a raised cartouche on the dial.
• 2019: Calibre 26-330 S C adds a hacking seconds function.
• January 2021: Patek Philippe announces the end of the steel ref. 5711.
• 2021: The olive green ref. 5711/1A-014 closes the series as the final edition.
• December 2021: The 170-piece Tiffany and Co. ref. 5711/1A-018 makes its auction debut at Phillips New York.

How Did Genta’s Porthole Design Carry Through to the 5711?

Gérald Genta drew the Nautilus case from the outline of a ship’s porthole, according to Patek Philippe’s own magazine, and the two hinge-like “ears” on the case flanks complete the reference. The original ref. 3700/1A of 1976 measured 42mm and was water resistant to 120 metres. Patek built its case and bracelet in-house as one integrated design, work the manufacture’s magazine still describes as “demanding and exigent”.

The 5711 reduced the case to 40mm and 8.3mm in thickness and moved to a three-part construction of case middle, bezel and sapphire caseback. Its ears are slightly curved. The reference also added a central seconds hand, absent on the 3700, and a triple-folding clasp.

The 5711 dial keeps the horizontal embossed pattern first seen on the 3700, with applied hour markers, rounded baton hands and a date window at 3 o’clock. The bracelet alternates polished centre links with brushed H-shaped links, the same finishing contrast a buyer checks when judging whether a case has been over-polished. Blue dominates the market, while the white-dial ref. 5711/1A-011 shares the identical case and movement.

Which Calibre Powers the 5711, and Does the Series Matter to Collectors?

The Nautilus ref. 5711 was powered by three distinct calibres during its production run. The calibre 315 S C appeared in examples from 2006 through early 2007, carried over from the preceding white gold ref. 3711. The calibre 324 S C replaced it from 2007, introducing a higher beat rate of 28,800 vibrations per hour compared to the 315’s 21,600.

In 2019, Patek swapped to the calibre 26-330 S C, which added a proper hacking seconds function. Expert opinion on whether these distinctions matter is consistent: they do not, at least not yet. John Reardon of Collectability notes that “a 5711 is a 5711” and that collectors prioritise case and dial condition over movement generation.

The more visible variation is the dial: in 2018, Patek moved the brand signature to a raised cartouche sitting proud of the horizontal ribbing. Pre-cartouche examples with Geneva Seal certification, valid until 2009 when Patek introduced its own Patek Philippe Seal, may attract a modest premium as the market matures.

What Happened to the 5711 Market After Discontinuation?

Patek Philippe officially discontinued the Nautilus ref. 5711 in January 2021. Secondary market prices had already been climbing since 2013, when auction results first moved well past retail. By 2019, waitlists at authorised dealers had stretched to eight to ten years.

WatchCharts places the standard blue-dial ref. 5711/1A-010 at $119,943 as of October 22, 2026, up 14.9 percent year on year after the post-2021 correction. GCC collectors can compare the 5711 with other discontinued steel references in our value retention data. Delivered to Riyadh, Saudi customs duty and import VAT add about 20.75 percent of the CIF value to that figure.

Which Auction Results Defined the Nautilus 5711?

Phillips sold the first of 170 Tiffany and Co. editions, ref. 5711/1A-018, as lot 1T of its New York Watch Auction on 11 December 2021 for $6,503,500 against an estimate “in excess of $50,000”. All proceeds went to The Nature Conservancy. The watch paired a Tiffany Blue lacquer dial with calibre 26-330 S C and a sapphire caseback inscribed “170th Anniversary 1851-2021”. The full story of that edition is told in our Tiffany Blue Nautilus profile.

The Gulf has its own place in the 5711 auction record. The gem-set platinum ref. 5711/110P that Phillips sold in Geneva in November 2021 for CHF 630,000 came with a certificate of origin from the Riyadh retailer First Jewelry Company, dated 3 May 2021.

Which Variants of the 5711 Are Worth Knowing?

The steel ref. 5711/1A-010 with blue dial accounts for the majority of 5711 discussion, but Patek produced the reference in steel, precious metal, gem-set and special edition configurations. The rose gold ref. 5711/1R arrived in 2015 with an integrated gold bracelet at $51,000 retail. Current prices for each variant, and what each costs delivered to the Gulf, are compared in our Nautilus 5711 buyer’s guide.

The non-anniversary platinum ref. 5711/1P, produced from 2011 off-catalogue, with about 50 believed made according to Phillips, is considered by many specialists the most significant variant. A non-anniversary platinum 5711 sold at Phillips in May 2021 for CHF 567,000.

The white “piano dial” ref. 5711/1A-011, introduced in 2012, offers the same integrated bracelet and movement as the blue dial. The gem-set platinum references occupy a different category entirely, reserved for Patek’s most established clients and rarely appearing at public auction.

What Does the Nautilus Ref. 5711 Represent for Collectors Today?

The ref. 5711 was produced for 15 years at volumes that make genuine scarcity unlikely to drive the price escalation seen between 2019 and 2021. What remains is a watch with a coherent design lineage traceable to Genta’s 1976 original.

The successor ref. 5811/1G in white gold, launched at CHF 69,785, has shifted the entry point for a new Nautilus significantly upward. For the GCC collector who already owns a Rolex sports reference and is considering the next step, the 5711’s case rests on three things: Genta’s original design authority, Patek’s manufacturing standard, and a 15-year production run that is now permanently closed.

Condition decides the value of a 5711 more than its calibre: a complete set with the extract from the register, warranty card and original box, and case finishing free of over-polishing, are the first checks before any purchase. Platform selection is covered in the pre-owned guide, and the full verification process in the authentication guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711 discontinued?

Patek Philippe officially discontinued the ref. 5711 in January 2021 after 15 years of production. CEO Thierry Stern had signalled the decision in advance, stating that steel watches should not dominate the collection. The ref. 5711 was replaced by the ref. 5811/1G in white gold, launched at CHF 69,785.

What is the current secondary market price for the Nautilus ref. 5711 in 2026?

The standard blue-dial ref. 5711/1A-010 trades at $119,943 according to WatchCharts data updated October 22, 2026, up 14.9 percent year on year. The white-dial ref. 5711/1A-011 trades at $117,106 and the rose gold ref. 5711/1R at $197,218. Year, condition and a complete set with box and papers move individual examples above or below these averages. The final retail price at discontinuation in 2021 was CHF 29,900.

Which calibre should I look for in a pre-owned Nautilus 5711?

The ref. 5711 used three calibres: the 315 S C from 2006 to early 2007, the 324 S C from 2007 to 2019, and the 26-330 S C from 2019 to 2021. Specialists consistently note that collectors prioritise case and dial condition over calibre generation. Dial integrity, case sharpness, and complete documentation matter more than which movement series the example belongs to.

Who designed the Nautilus 5711?

Gérald Genta designed the Nautilus, drawing the original ref. 3700 of 1976 from the outline of a ship’s porthole, according to Patek Philippe’s magazine. The ref. 5711 of 2006 kept the porthole case and the horizontal embossed dial, reduced the case to 40mm and 8.3mm in thickness, and added a central seconds hand. Genta’s original Nautilus drawing sold at Sotheby’s in April 2022 for $727,000.

What was the retail price of the Nautilus 5711?

Patek Philippe launched the ref. 5711/1A in 2006 at CHF 17,000, and the final retail price at discontinuation in 2021 was CHF 29,900. The rose gold ref. 5711/1R was introduced in 2015 at $51,000. Its successor, the white gold ref. 5811/1G, launched at CHF 69,785.

Which variants of the Nautilus 5711 are best known?

Patek Philippe produced the ref. 5711 between 2006 and 2021 in steel, gold and platinum, including gem-set versions. The best known are the blue-dial 5711/1A-010, the white-dial 5711/1A-011 introduced in 2012, the rose gold 5711/1R from 2015, the olive green 5711/1A-014 and the 170-piece Tiffany Blue 5711/1A-018 of 2021. Off-catalogue platinum references, including the 5711P and the gem-set 5711/110P, rarely appear at public auction.

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