Patek Aquanaut & Nautilus Advertisements
From the famous modern Ref. 5711 Nautilus to the sought-after vintage Ref. 5065 Aquanaut, Patek Philippe has defined the luxury steel sports watch category with these two noteworthy collections. While the two models are indeed sports watches, their ads portray them as more lifestyle pieces rather than a rugged tool used for a specific purpose like diving or hiking. Even the photography itself captures a casual, leisurely feel, as you can see in one ad with a dad and son driving a boat,sharing a moment together.
Most Nautilus ads feature the original reference 3700 and are from the late 1970s through 1980s, before Patek had a global campaign. As a result, Nautilus ads across the 1970s and 1980s all look different. One unique Nautilus ad I’ve come across is actually from 1976, which is the birth year of the Nautilus. That ad happens to have been created by none other than the famous Tiffany & Co, a well-known retailer of Patek Philippe. Of the several Ref. 3700 ads, perhaps the best and most famous is the black and white ad with sword published in 1977-1978. Like many Patek ads, everything about this advertisement is a work of art. Because it also tells the story of the Nautilus, it can pair perfectly with a ref. 5711, which I’ve never found featured in a print ad. The closest modern Nautilus ad I’ve come across shows the ref. 5712, which are shown in many ad variations under the brand’s signature “Generations” campaign.
While the Aquanaut is an incredibly popular model, there has surprisingly been only one Aquanaut ad found, specifically from 1999. The ad is part of the “Generations” campaign and shows a father and son sharing a sweet moment together. Similarly to the Nautilus, no ads have been found that show the most popular Aquanaut models - the refs. 5065 or 5167. A vintage Nautilus ad or the lone Aquanaut ad can definitely complement a modern reference, like the 5711 or 5164, since traditional print ad likely do not exist for these newer pieces. The closest I’ve come across are nice, full page images from articles about the watches. Amidst the ads, you’ll also find original, framable pages showing various photography with more modern references as the subject matter. Whether an early Nautilus or Aquanaut ad or a beautiful article showcasing the photography of a modern model, these pages can be an objet d’art for a lover of Patek because of its significance in the brand’s history.
