Patek Philippe 5723/1R-010
Patek Philippe Nautilus 5723/1R-010
When is a 5711 not a 5711?
When it has a full 32 baguette diamond bezel.
This is the ultra rare Patek Philippe Nautilus 5723/1R and its absolutely lethal.
The Nautilus was originally designed back in 1976 by Gerald Genta and was Patek’s answer to the Royal Oak which Audemars Piguet launched in 1972. They are both considered to be the archetypal 70s integrated bracelet sports watches and remain obscenely popular.
The rose gold Nautilus 5711R was first launched in 2015, some nine years after its blue dialled steel predecessor which made its debut in 2006.
It is very safe to say that these were the unicorn watches of the Patek range and when they were discontinued in 2022 the absolute feeding frenzy to get one before they’re gone prompted the Nautilus to soar so far above RRP that they were only visible through the Hubble telescope (also discontinued).
Its reputation lies in its versatility.
The Nautilus is one of those go anywhere, do anything watches. It’s slimline enough to fit under the cuff, formal enough to wear with a suit, and waterproof enough (120m) to breeze through anything that the beach and some scuba diving can throw at it.
There are not many sport watches that can claim such all-rounder status. The Royal Oak is water resistant to a comparatively shallow 50 metres.
The Submariner is a robust dive watch and covers casual very well, but arguments still rage about its suitability as a dressier piece due to the rotating bezel.
The Daytona can pass under a cuff and swim to 100m but as a chronograph it doesn’t hold the same uncomplicated appeal.
For collectors, of course, this is irrelevant since they use different horses for different courses, but the Nautilus is still the number one and the simple 3 handers tower above the rest of the lineup on the most wanted lists.
The other factor for the 5711’s enduring popularity is rarity.
Patek didn’t make a lot of them as they wanted to keep the lid on the sports watch phenomenon, largely because the brands raison d’être has always been complications in precious metal.
The Nautilus has always been deliberately low production to ensure that demand outstrips supply. It has never been easily available, and that, of course, is all part of the allure.
Getting to the point, the 5711 has always been a rare beast, so when you combine it with a factory set full baguette bezel, we’re talking about a drop in the ocean production wise for this special edition.
It is seriously limited, and seriously spectacular.
Everything about is 5711.
It has a rose gold case with a diameter of 40mm, 48mm lug to lug and very slim with a thickness of 8.7mm.
Its dimensions are a joy to wear, and because its a compact piece, it looks fantastic on both men and women.
The bracelet is silky with superb articulation, and actually drapes a little bit better in rose gold than steel in my opinion.
The warmth of the metal certainly helps in this respect as gold heats to body temperature much faster than steel so the whole piece feels like it melts comfortably around the wrist almost instantly.
I always feel like i’m being a bit of a weirdo when I raise the temperature difference between precious metal and steel but putting on a cold steel watch is a jarring sensation that you just don’t get with gold. This could just be me though so feel free to disregard it as ramblings if you’re a steel fan :D
The dial is a very lovely smoked dark brown which extends to almost black at the outer edges. It tones in perfectly with the rose gold case and since theres a baguette theme, the markers match the bezel, which brings me rather neatly to the main event.
The bezel is set with 32 baguette diamonds that are channel set without gaps to create a completely flush fit with no visible metal between the stones.
An interesting note is that the baguettes follow the flow of the octagonal bezel precisely meaning each one is angled to curve around the angles of the bezel lines which is infinitely more complex than it looks at face value.
Whether you’re a fan of gem-set watches or not, the precision cutting on display here is notable and the diamonds themselves are at the top of the colour range at D to G, are free of inclusions and internally flawless.
Each diamond is set entirely by hand and gems are never bonded with adhesive. Patek are, unsurprisingly, on top of their game here.
Practically speaking, the baguette bezel completely obliterates the traditional concerns of those who wear Genta designed watches such as the Royal Oak and Nautilus who are probably very aware that the brushed metal bezels of the watch can pick up hairlines just by being looked at the wrong way.
It’s perversely entertaining to think that additional decoration which is occasionally frowned upon serves to upgrade the Nautilus from “Mind that doorknob” to “Tougher than Statham” status because diamonds are the hardest known natural substances on earth and virtually impossible to scratch or scuff.
They can, under tragic circumstances be chipped, but both the channel setting and baguette cut of the stones drop the possibility of this to very low risk indeed.
Score.
This watch really is the sum of its parts. It’s elegant, its iconic, its rare, its opulent, and it is, in my opinion, absolutely beautiful.
As both the Nautilus AND diamond set watches are divisive subjects, let me know what you think to this 5723 in the comments.