NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) – Earlier this 12 months, collectors have been crushed when Mr Thierry Stern, the president of Patek Philippe, introduced that the corporate was discontinuing its most sought-after watch: the Nautilus Ref. 5711.
Folks had waited for years – the wait was rumoured to be 10 years lengthy – to get their arms on the 5711-1A-010, a metal mannequin with a particular blue dial.
“The Nautilus is a horological icon. With none doubt, it is one of many best designs of the twentieth century in watches,” says Mr Paul Boutros, head of watches, Americas, for Phillips public sale home, which does a big enterprise in secondary market timepieces.
“Previously 4 or 5 years, we have seen explosive progress and demand for any sort of Nautilus watch, particularly the 5711.”
Shortly after confirming it will be discontinued, Mr Stern promised a swan track for the mannequin.
In April, Patek Philippe unveiled a set of 5711s with olive-green dials.
That was the tip of Ref. 5711 and a frenzy ensued amongst those that had missed out on a possibility to purchase one. Nonetheless, Mr Stern had yet one more trick up his sleeve.
On Dec 6, Patek Philippe introduced a brand new limited-edition 5711 with a blue dial. However this time, it’s Tiffany blue – and it truly is the ultimate 5711.
Why Tiffany blue? In the USA, Patek Philippe doesn’t function standalone boutiques. As a substitute, it sells watches by means of authorised sellers. Many can be stunned to find that one in every of these salons is situated inside one in every of New York’s most iconic shops: Tiffany & Co on Fifth Avenue.
In actual fact, Tiffany & Co was Patek Philippe’s first official retailer within the US and commenced promoting Patek Philippe timepieces in 1851.
Since then, the partnership has developed from simply distribution to limited-edition watches stamped with each the Patek Philippe and Tiffany & Co logos.
Tiffany & Co is the one retailer on this planet with the suitable to co-brand timepieces with Patek Philippe. These watches are much more troublesome to accumulate than the elusive 5711.
“It is extraordinarily uncommon to seek out one with a Tiffany stamp,” says Mr Boutros. “It is the status issue and it is that additional magic on the dial of a Patek Philippe watch that collectors covet so enormously.”
The Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A-018 celebrates the one hundred and seventieth anniversary of the partnership.
The dial is Tiffany’s trademarked blue hue and each logos seem on the dial: Patek Philippe at 12 o’clock and Tiffany & Co at 6 o’clock.
It has the entire signature Nautilus design particulars: Gerald Genta-designed case, horizontal aid embossing on the dial, and luminous baton arms and hour markers.
It’s powered by the exact self-winding calibre 26-330 S C. The caseback is inscribed with “one hundred and seventieth Anniversary 1851-2021 Tiffany & Co – Patek Philippe”.
There’ll solely be 170 items made and, because the really closing 5711, it’s certain to go down in Patek Philippe historical past.
“Tiffany & Co is honoured to accomplice with Patek Phillippe on this particular timepiece to mark 170 years collectively,” stated Mr Alexandre Arnault, Tiffany & Co’s govt vice-president of merchandise and communication, in an announcement.
“The Nautilus is without doubt one of the most iconic designs supplied by Patek Phillippe and we’re proud to introduce this particular version that includes Tiffany Blue dials to our most discerning purchasers.”
If patrons miss the possibility to accumulate one in shops, Phillips in Affiliation with Bacs & Russo – the watch division at Phillips public sale home – will public sale off one watch on Dec 11 with all proceeds benefiting The Nature Conservancy.