First launched in 1997 as a sports watch aimed at a more youthful demographic, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut is often considered the younger, more casual sibling of the legendary Gerald Genta-designed Nautilus. With a similar overall profile but a less complex case construction, the Aquanaut was always intended to be the more attainable option between Patek Philippe’s two sports models. However, the Aquanaut has stepped out of its sibling’s shadow in recent years with increasingly complex and luxurious offerings, and there are now quite a few Aquanaut watches that are just as fiercely coveted as their more famous Nautilus siblings. That said, not all Aquanaut models are considered equal, and below we take a closer look at the top 10 Patek Philippe Aquanaut watches for collectors in 2024.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5060A
You can’t have a proper top 10 list for collectors without including the one that started it all, and when it comes to the Patek Philippe Aquanaut, the very first model from 1997 is the reference 5060A. Crafted from stainless steel and measuring a compact 35.6mm in diameter, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5060A represents the Swiss brand’s original vision for its entry-level sports watch, and it holds a special place in the brand’s history as the very first Patek Philippe timepiece to be factory-fitted with a rubber strap. Powered by the time-and-date Caliber 330 S C automatic movement and showcasing a black “grenade” textured dial, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5060A is smaller than its contemporary equivalents, and unlike all subsequent Aquanaut watches, the reference 5060A features a solid screw-down caseback, rather than one with a sapphire display window.
The Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5060A was only in production for a single year before being replaced by the ref. 5066A-001, which featured largely the same design but with a display-style caseback. Additionally, it is believed that approximately 1,000 Aquanaut 5060 watches were created, and these were spread between the standard stainless steel ref. 5060A and its yellow gold sibling (ref. 5060J), which remained in production until the mid-2000s. However, despite its short production run and importance within Patek Philippe’s history, the Aquanaut 5060A is quite a bit less expensive than many of its contemporary siblings when purchased on the open market, and most examples typically cost somewhere between $35,000 and $55,000. Although it may be smaller and less complex than other models from the Aquanaut collection, the ref. 5060A will always hold a cherished place within the collecting community for being one of the most important Aquanaut models of all time, and the timepiece that laid the foundation for all future generations.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167A-001
The Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167A-001 is the current production version of the classic stainless steel time-and-date model, which was first released in 2007 and remains in production today. Just like the inaugural Aquanaut from 1997, the ref. 5167A-001 features a black “grenade” textured dial and a matching black rubber strap. However, the Aquanaut 5167A-001 is larger than its vintage predecessor at 40.8mm in diameter, and it is fitted with a display-style caseback to showcase its internal movement. With that in mind, rather than having a full track of Arabic numeral hour markers like the original Aquanaut models, the reference 5167A-001 omits the 3 o’clock index next to the date window, which creates more negative space and a greater sense of visual symmetry.
While the standard Patek Philippe Aquanaut has always been a three-handed automatic watch with time-and-date functionality, the modern reference 5167A-001 is powered by the updated Caliber 26‑330 S C, which benefits from a higher operating frequency compared to the movement used inside the inaugural Aquanaut models. As the most simple and straightforward offering from the current Patek Philippe Aquanaut collection, the ref. 5167A-001 is also the least expensive with an official retail price of $24,450. With that in mind, just like many of Patek Philippe’s watches and virtually all of its stainless steel sports models, global demand for the Aquanaut 5167A-001 exceeds its supply at a retail level, and this results in open-market prices for the model significantly exceeding their original retail values, with an average price range of anywhere between $50,000 and $70,000 (as of August 2024).
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time ref. 5164G-001
Introduced earlier this year at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time ref. 5164G-001 is the solid 18k white gold version of the collection’s highly popular dual-time model. Offering the same 40.8mm diameter as the current version of the standard time-and-date Aquanaut, the reference 5164G-001 displays two different timezones with a pair of centrally-mounted hour hands and accompanying day/night indicators, while the date is displayed by the register on the lower half of its dial. Unlike the rose gold version of the model (ref. 5164R-001), which gets fitted with a chocolate brown dial and a brown rubber strap, the white gold Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G-001 receives a blue-gray dial and it is completed by a strap made from a matching shade of blue-gray rubber.
To allow easy access to its signature complication, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time ref. 5164G-001 features two buttons sitting opposite the crown on the 9 o’clock side of its case, which allow users to jump the local hour hand either forward or backward in one-hour increments. To make this functionality possible, the Aquanaut Travel Time ref. 5164G-001 is powered by the brand’s Caliber 26‑330 S C FUS automatic movement, which sits on display through the sapphire window in its caseback. At a retail level, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G-001 has an official retail price of $63,040, although because this model was just released earlier this year, open-market prices are significantly higher, with most hovering somewhere between $135,000 and $150,000.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A-001
First launched in 2018, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A-001 is arguably the most sporty model from the current production collection, and it expands upon the blueprint of the standard time-and-date Aquanaut with a flyback chronograph and bright orange accents. Due to its more complex movement, the reference 5968A-001 is larger than the time-and-date Aquanaut models, with a 42.2mm case and the addition of a pair of chronograph pushers flanking its winding crown. Although Patek Philippe offers white gold versions of the Aquanaut Chronograph that are fitted with either blue or khaki green dials (ref. 5968G-001 and ref. 5968G-010), the ref. 5968A-001 is the stainless steel version, and it is the most unique among the trio, as it is the only one that features orange accents and an additional orange rubber strap.
Inside the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A-001 is the Caliber CH 28‑520 C/522 automatic movement, which offers both a date display and a 60-minute flyback chronograph. The bright orange accents set the reference 5968A-001 apart from all other Aquanaut models, and makes the stainless steel version one of the most coveted timepieces from the current Aquanaut lineup. While the ref. 5968A-001 has an official retail price of $55,320, it is typically accompanied by a significant waiting list, which has resulted in prices for available examples hovering anywhere between $125,000 and $140,000 on the secondary market. Additionally, rare examples fitted with Tiffany & Co. dials are significantly more expensive, and it is not uncommon for a six-figure price difference to separate a Tiffany-signed Aquanaut Chronograph 5968A-001 from one of its otherwise identical counterparts.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut “Jumbo” ref. 5168G-010
Colloquially known as the “Jumbo” Aquanaut, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5168G-010 is the larger version of the time-and-date Aquanaut model that is crafted from solid 18k white gold. While the white gold Aquanaut Jumbo originally appeared in 2017 with a blue dial and a matching blue rubber strap (ref. 5168G-001), the reference 5168G-010 is the follow-up edition from 2019 that swaps out blue for a utilitarian shade of khaki green. Offering a larger 42.2mm case, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5168G-010 has the same diameter as the Aquanaut Chronograph, and just like what can be observed on its smaller stainless steel sibling (ref. 5167A-001), the dials fitted to the white gold “Jumbo” Aquanaut models omit the Arabic numeral hour marker at 3 o’clock for a better sense of visual balance.
Despite its larger case size, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut “Jumbo” ref. 5168G-010 is powered by the same Caliber 26‑330 S C automatic movement as its smaller time-and-date counterparts. Additionally, while it still adheres to the same fundamental design and layout, its khaki green dial and matching strap provide the watch with a slightly tactical overall appearance that creates a unique contrast against its solid white gold case. At a retail level, the Aquanaut ref. 5168G-010 costs $49,370, and while both the blue and khaki green versions of the white gold Aquanaut “Jumbo” trade hands on the open market for values that significantly exceed their original retail prices, the green ref. 5168G-010 is more expensive than its blue sibling with open-market prices typically sitting right under the six-figure mark.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar ref. 5261R-001
Introduced earlier this year at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar ref. 5261R-001 is one of the most mechanically complex models from the current production lineup, and it features a solid 18k rose gold case paired with a blue-gray dial and a matching rubber strap. Although the reference 5261R-001 is technically part of the Aquanaut Luce series, which has historically contained the various women’s models from the collection, this rose gold annual calendar is positioned as a unisex timepiece with a versatile 39.9mm case, and its dial features two registers that track the day and month, along with a moonphase display on the upper half of the dial and a date window at the 6 o’clock location.
Just like other annual calendar watches, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar ref. 5261R-001 will automatically compensate for the different number of days in each month, with only one manual correction needed each year at the end of February. Making this functionality possible is the brand’s Caliber 26‑330 S QA LU automatic movement, which sits on full display through the sapphire window in its screw-down caseback. Just like nearly all Aquanaut models, secondary market prices for the Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar 5261R-001 are significantly greater than their retail prices, and this is especially true since the model has only been in production for less than two years. While the ref. 5261R-001 has an official retail price of $61,860, available examples command a six-figure premium on the open market, with most selling for somewhere between $160,000 and $175,000.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Haute Joaillerie ref. 5268/461G-001
While the Aquanaut was created to be the brand’s entry-level sports watch, Patek Philippe has been producing increasingly luxurious renditions of the model, and among its novelties presented at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2024 was the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Haute Joaillerie ref. 5268/461G-001, which takes the core design of the three-handed Aquanaut and renders in diamonds, sapphires, and solid 18k white gold. As a member of the Aquanaut Luce lineup, the reference 5268/461G-001 is smaller than the standard models at 38.8mm in diameter, and while its case is crafted entirely from white gold, its bezel is set with blue sapphires, while its lugs are adorned with diamonds. Additionally, the Aquanaut’s signature “grenade” texture dial is reimagined in a motif of diamonds and sapphires, and the entirety of its surface is paved in white and blue gemstones.
Unlike the standard three-handed Aquanaut models, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce ref. 5268/461G-001 features a time-only display, and it is therefore powered by the Caliber 26‑330 S automatic movement, which is largely identical to what can be found inside the time-and-date models, just without the added calendar complication. Additionally, due to its lavish use of 18k gold and gemstones, the ref. 5268/461G-001 is already a rather expensive timepiece with an official retail price of $235,670. However, just like most models from the collection, the Aquanaut Luce Haute Joaillerie 5268/461G-001 sells for significantly more on the open market, with prices typically ranging between $800,000 and just shy of a million dollars.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Singapore Special Edition ref. 5167A-012
Launched in 2019 as a limited edition of just 500 examples to commemorate the brand’s Grand Exhibition in Singapore, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Singapore Special Edition ref. 5167A-012 takes the fundamental template of the standard stainless steel time-and-date model and gives it bright red accents with a matching red rubber strap. Featuring the same 40.8mm stainless steel case as the standard-production Aquanaut models, the reference 5167A-012 is identical to its core-collection counterparts from both a structural and functional standpoint. However, the Singapore Special Edition ref. 5167A-012 differs from its siblings when it comes to its dial, hands, strap, and caseback, and in addition to its prominent use of bright red, the display-style caseback is adorned with a subtle semi-transparent emblem of the Patek Philippe Grand Exhibition Singapore logo.
Given that the Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167A-012 is essentially just a limited-edition colorway of the standard stainless steel reference 5167A, it is powered by the exact same Caliber 26‑330 S C automatic movement, which can also be found inside all of the other full-size models with time-and-date displays from the current-production Aquanaut collection. However, the bright red accents on the Aquanaut 5167A-012 immediately set it apart from its siblings by giving it a noticeably more casual and sporty overall aesthetic. Additionally, since the ref. 5167A-012 was a limited edition that was only available from Southeast Asian retailers in 2019, it hasn’t been available for more than half a decade, and while it originally cost roughly the same as its standard-production stainless steel counterparts, open-market prices for the Aquanaut Singapore Special Edition ref. 5167A-012 are now typically anywhere between $165,000 and $190,000.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time Advanced Research ref. 5650G-001
Arguably some of the most important modern Patek Philippe watches are those from its Advanced Research division, which are essentially limited-edition concept pieces that showcase the brand’s most cutting-edge technologies. Launched in 2017 as the fifth watch from the Advanced Research series, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time Advanced Research ref. 5650G-001 represents the most exclusive and technologically advanced iteration of the brand’s fan-favorite Travel Time model. Like the standard Aquanaut Travel Time, the ref. 5650G-001 has a 40.8mm case, although it is crafted from solid 18k white gold and fitted with both a blue dial and a matching blue rubber strap. Additionally, unlike all other Aquanaut Travel Time models, the left-hand side of the dial on the Advanced Research ref. 5650G-001 is open-worked to reveal an intricately shaped steel structure that operates its Travel Time complication, and along with being the only sports watch from Patek Philippe’s Advanced Research series, the ref. 5650G-001 also represents the first time that one of the brand’s sports models has been fitted with a partially skeletonized dial.
The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time Advanced Research ref. 5650G-001 was produced as a limited edition of 500 examples, and it is powered by the Caliber 324 S C FUS, which offers the same core functionality as the standard Travel Time models, but with the addition of a Spiromax balance made from the brand’s Silinvar silicon material and the single-piece flexible structure that takes the place of the standard Travel Time actuation mechanism. While the Aquanaut Travel Time Advanced Research 5650G-001 originally debuted with an official retail price of $58,970, the model is now extremely coveted by collectors due to its important place with Patek Philippe’s history, along with just how different it is from anything else that the Swiss manufacturer has ever created. Consequently, the ref. 5650G-001 is easily the most exclusive and expensive Aquanaut Travel Time model, with examples selling for anywhere between $450,000 and $650,000 on the open market.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater Haute Joaillerie ref. 5260/1455R-001
Representing what is arguably the single most lavish Aquanaut watch that has ever been put forward, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater Haute Joaillerie ref. 5260/1455R-001 was first introduced in 2023 and in addition to being crafted from solid 18k rose gold, both its case and bracelet are encrusted in diamonds and a rainbow-colored assortment of rubies and sapphires. As a member of the Aquanaut Luce series, the reference 5260/1455R-001 is smaller than the full-size models with a case diameter of 38.8mm, although it offers plenty of wrist presence with its gradient of gemstones extending from its bezel onto the sides of its case and even the outer surfaces of its bracelet links. In addition to having a dial that is entirely paved in diamonds with rainbow-colored sapphires serving has the hour markers, even the handset on the Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater 5260/1455R-001 is adorned with gemstones, and red rubies and blue sapphires take the place of the luminous inlays that normally appear on the standard production models.
Along with being set with 130 baguette-cut diamonds and 779 rainbow-colored sapphires, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater Haute Joaillerie ref. 5260/1455R-001 is also powered by the Caliber R 27 automatic movement, which includes a minute repeater complication that is activated by a lever on the 9 o’clock side of its case. Nearly every visible surface of the reference 5260/1455R-001 is paved in gemstones, and even the slide for its minute repeater is adorned with a gradient of sapphires that match the hues of the adjacent gemstones on its lugs and bezel. Due to its mechanically complex movement and ample use of gold and gemstones, the Aquanaut Luce “Rainbow” Minute Repeater 5260/1455R-001 is a fundamentally expensive timepiece, and it is accompanied by an official retail price of $2,975,330. With that in mind, as the most loud and luxurious Aquanaut that has ever been created, the ref. 5260/1455R-001 is an exceptionally rare timepiece and examples of this ultra-lavish creation have traded hands for values up to $5 million on the open market.