Watches

The History & Design of the Patek Philippe Nautilus

6 March 2026

Natasha Nixon

In 1976 Patek Philippe released the Nautilus, a timepiece which went on to fundamentally transform the luxury watch industry. During the 1970s, the Swiss watchmaking industry was hit by the quartz crisis and many watch brands were swept away as cheaper, more accurate quartz watches flooded the market. Brands such as Patek Philippe who were known for their mechanical dress watches realised they had to change tact to survive.

Audemars Piguet were the first to respond to this shake up with the release of the Royal Oak in 1972. Designed by the iconic Swiss watch designer Gerald Genta, the Royal Oak featured an integrated bracelet made from stainless-steel - a bold move away from the elegant dress watches previously produced by luxury Swiss watchmakers.

Icons of Time: Patek Philippe

Browse our upcoming dedicated Patek Philippe auction taking place in November 2026.

Patek Philippe

Nautilus Ref. 3800

Audemars Piguet

A Rare Royal Oak Wristwatch

Patek Philippe soon followed suit, hiring Genta and four years later releasing the Nautilus Ref. 3700/1A in 1976. Just as with a contemporary Patek Philippe reference, the ‘A’ in the Ref. 3700/1A stood for acier, French for steel. Today it is not unusual to see an ‘A’ in a Patek Philippe reference; however, in 1976 a luxury watch brand working with stainless steel, rather than precious metals such as platinum or gold, marked a big shift. Instead of luxury being measured by material value, it was now wrapped up in something less tangible and more subjective: exclusive design.

Today stainless-steel watches are a staple of the luxury watch industry but at the time this was revolutionary, as emphasised in Patek Philippe’s original marketing: ‘One of the world’s costliest watches is made of steel’.

The Nautilus had many similarities to the Royal Oak when first released: the integrated stainless-steel bracelet, smoky blue dial, and the Jaeger-LeCoultre based calibre. Genta also drew on nautical themes for the design of both watches - for the Royal Oak he took inspiration from a diver’s helmet, and for the Nautilus, a ship’s port hole. You can clearly see this inspiration if you look at the bezel of each watch. The Royal Oak features an angular octagonal bezel, whereas the Nautilus’ bezel has a rounder shape emulating a ships window. The bezels speak to a larger aesthetic difference between the two watches; the Royal Oak looks more industrial whilst the Nautilus has a more refined feel.

18 November 2026 from 14:00 BST

Icons of Time: Patek Philippe

As a feature of L&T200, our Watches team are delighted to present a special one-off auction celebrating the famous Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe - Icons of Time: Patek Philippe in London this November.

This special auction celebrates the craftsmanship, heritage, and quality of one of the most revered names in horology. Curated by Head of Watches, Charles Tearle, who is available across the UK for valuation appointments and advice.

The Nautilus was still very much a bold statement, but Genta kept key hallmarks of Patek Philippe design integrated into the watch. For example, it featured a surprisingly large diameter at 42mm (earning it the nickname “the Jumbo”) but retained a remarkably thin case, characteristic of previous Patek Philippe watches. Here we see Genta balancing innovation with Patek Philippe’s signature elegant design.

Staying true to its nautical namesake, the Nautilus Ref. 3700/1A featured a ridged dial reminiscent of a ships deck, and distinctive case ‘ears’ emulating the hinges of a ships window. The maritime theme can also be seen in the functionality of the watch. The ‘ears’ held screws which clamped down the case, making the watch water resistant up to a depth of 120 meters. This tapped into another radical element of the Nautilus: its versatility. Here was a watch suited to an owner looking for both style and adventure. Patek Philippe ran with this, using the strapline "They work as well with a wet suit as they do with a dinner suit". This marketing worked to appeal to a new type of customer who was after a more informal and adaptable look.

The release of the Nautilus signalled a new movement amongst luxury Swiss watchmakers. It proved that the daring design of the Royal Oak four years earlier was not a wildcard but a clear marker for where the luxury watch industry was headed. Fifty years on, the Nautilus is an iconic pioneer of the integrated stainless-steel sports watch which has become a staple of the industry.

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