The Patek Philippe Aquanaut is one of those watches that is born a classic. We usually analyze pieces with decades of history, or based on the tradition of a manufacture, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut was a revolution, a groundbreaking proposal in one of the most traditional manufactures in Switzerland, to say goodbye to the 20th century and welcome the 21st century.

In the section of new proposals of the great watchmaking brands, the Aquanaut occupies a very special place, this week we analyze its characteristics and route.

Origin and background

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut was not the first watch with a rubber strap, it was Hublot who incorporated this material into watchmaking, but the Aquanaut strap did represent a change in the straps made of this material.

Patek Philippe wanted to enter the 21st century with a unisex watch, a design that could be worn by women and men, which is why the Aquanaut is made in different sizes.

The model was launched in 1997 and at first some quartz models were incorporated into the collection, now withdrawn.

From the beginning, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut incorporated an elegant curved octagonal shape for the case and of course, its already mythical Tropical strap, hypoallergenic and resistant to both salt water and the impact of UVA rays, therefore, its wear over time. over the years is minimal, even under extreme conditions.

Over the years, versions such as Jumbo or Travel Time have become the most popular of the first years of this century, its design and the usual perfection of Patek Philippe mechanisms have made the Aquanaut a reference among high-end sports models.

The reinvention of the Aquanaut 20 years later

Only twenty years after its birth, in 2017, Patek Philippe reinvented the original Aquanaut, offering a different collection, although based on the original.

2016 had been a very special date for the manufacture, so it had celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Nautilus, its most popular watch, 2017 was the year of the Aquanaut.

The brand itself referred to the new design as a sport chic watch, a 42mm 18-carat white gold piece with the characteristic octagonal bezel, reminiscent of the first Nautilus in its shape.

The midnight blue dial and bracelet make the anniversary model very elegant, making it the perfect watch for any occasion.

Modern, sporty and elegant

The brand itself thus defines the Aquanaut line. A modern watch for its design, very different from the general proposals of Patek Philippe. It is a sporty design due to the contour and the materials that accompany it, and of course, very elegant, like all Patek Philippe pieces.

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut is one of the most complete watches of the brand, a watch that is used both for daily wear and to wear it on the most special occasions. It is true that it is a watch with a short history, due to the fact that it is a modern design, but there is no doubt that over the years, Patek Philippe will reinterpret this peculiar design again and again.

Technical characteristics of the Patek Philippe Aquanaut

The different models that exist of the Aquanaut have small variations regarding their technical characteristics, however, all the designs share some basic characteristics, they are the following:

• • All Aquanaut models integrate the Tropical strap, a rubber strap treated to prevent wear, resistant even to the impact of UVA rays.
  • The movement is completely mechanical, with automatic winding. In some of the first models from 1997, several quartz models were included, but in the current collections they no longer exist.
  • Caliber 324 S C includes a date and central seconds hand. It is one of the most perfect movements created by Patek Philippe.
  • The dial is engraved, the Arabic numerals are incorporated by hand.
  • The case incorporates a sapphire crystal. Its characteristic octagonal shape softens the angles through curves.
  • The Aquanaut is waterproof to 120 meters.
  • The movement 324 S C
  • Not all Patek Philippe Aquanauts incorporate this movement, but it is the most used in current models.

This automatic winding mechanism is practically perfect. It has a date and central seconds hand, with a diameter of 27 mm. and a height of 3.3 mm.

Once complete, it has 217 components, including 6 bridges and 29 rubies. It has a power reserve of a minimum of 35 hours, reaching up to 45 hours. They have a unidirectional armed 21-carat gold central rotor.

Both the Gyromax balance and the Spiromax hairspring have been developed by Patek Philippe.

Finally, the alternations per hour are 28,800 with 4 Hz.

The result is a mechanism with astonishing precision, precisely designed to ensure virtually perfect movement.

Hand-finished at the Patek Philippe Manufacture

One of the features that stand out in this model is the hand-finished. Both the final decoration and the last improvements are carried out by hand, through the precision of dozens of master watchmakers who make each piece literally unique.

One of the purposes of hand finishing is to remove any imperfections that may have occurred during the previous steps. Sometimes they are almost imperceptible details, however, the craftsmen of Patek Philippe eliminate any sign of imperfection.

Patek Philippe incorporates its personal seal into these watches, the brand prides itself on having the strictest internal standards of the Swiss manufacturer, only watches like the Aquanaut bear the particular seal of Patek Philippe (PP), after going through the process of improvement to hand.

Preowned Patek Philippe Aquanaut

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut is one of the most popular Patek Philippe models, at Montres8 you can find several different designs at the best price, all of them revised and with all the official Patek Philippe authenticity documents.

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