The Patek Philippe Aquanaut adds some delectable new chocolates and blue-greys to the line-up
D.C. Hannay- Patek Philippe adds three tasty new rose gold models to their Aquanaut sporting line for Watches & Wonders 2023
- A flyback chronograph and diamond-bezelled time/date model both get warm dial colours
- In a first for the Aquanaut, the Luce presents an annual calendar paired with a blue-grey dial
With no new Nautilus models for Watches & Wonders, the Patek sports watch novelties are all Aquanaut, baby, and there are some real lookers in the new line-up. I’ve been a fan of the whole Aquanaut aesthetic since I first encountered the khaki green-dialled variant, but the entire line really nails the unbuttoned luxe thing with a quiet, confident ease. All three new models are rose gold-cased, a notch higher over steel in their point of entry, but for me, the warmth of that precious metal combined with the carefree vibe of a rubber strap keeps things from getting too stuffy. Here’s what’s new for Patek Philippe’s Aquanaut line for 2023.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph 5968R-001
There are already time/date and Travel Time GMT models available in the tasty Swiss chocolate and rose gold combination, so Patek has decided it’s high time the Chronograph joined the party. The 5968R-001 Aquanaut Chronograph is ideally suited to the rose gold and chocolate look, with its 42.2mm case and soft octagonal bezel perfectly framing the sunburst dial, its embossed grid reminiscent of a globe’s longitude and latitude lines.
The Chrono’s dial layout is uncluttered, with bold, easy to read Arabic numeral indices, a discreet date at three, and 60-minute counter at six. Everything you need, and nothing you don’t. The patterned look is echoed on the composite brown strap, and looks like the little squares of a chocolate bar. Great, now I’m hungry.
Around the other side through the sapphire display back, you’ll get lost in the details of the automatic CH 28-520 C flyback column wheel chrono movement, with its exquisite finishing and gold rotor engraved with the Patek Calatrava cross.
| Brand | Patek Philippe |
| Model | Aquanaut Chronograph 5968R-001 |
| Case Dimensions | 42.2mm (D) x 11.9mm (T) |
| Case Material | Rose gold |
| Water Resistance | 120m |
| Dial | Brown sunburst |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Bracelet/Strap | Brown composite rubber |
| Movement | CH 28-520 C flyback column wheel chronograph |
| Power Reserve | 55 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, date, chronograph, 60-minute counter |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$75,700 |
Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5268R/200R-010
In a similar flavour profile, we have the 38.8mm Aquanaut in rose gold/taupe, with the added zing of 48 brilliant-cut diamonds set into the bezel. They say nothing succeeds like excess, but this variant hits the glitz bullseye without being gauche, succeeding where excess sometimes fails. Patek is regarded for their factory-set gems, and this exercise does not disappoint.
The dial isn’t quite the deep brown of the Chrono, but still looks quite delicious. Patek calls it “taupe”, as in a soft grey, but however you see it, it’s undeniably warm, perfectly suiting the rose gold case. Rather unbelievably, this elegant piece still manages water resistance of 120 metres. Not that you’d do that, but it’s nice to know you’re covered if you happen to slip into a champagne-filled bathtub. The Calibre 26‑330 S C keeps you on time, and in my opinion, the movement is as pretty as the view up front.
| Brand | Patek Philippe |
| Model | Aquanaut 5268R/200R-010 |
| Case Dimensions | 38.8mm (D) x 8.5mm (T) |
| Case Material | Rose gold, diamond-set bezel |
| Water Resistance | 120m |
| Dial | Taupe |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Bracelet/Strap | Taupe composite rubber |
| Movement | 26‑330 S C automatic |
| Power Reserve | 45 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$53,820 |
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce 5261R-001
Finally, we have the Aquanaut Luce, an annual calendar/moonphase model, a first for the Aquanaut. This one arrives in a smart blue-grey (slate?) – a cool tone that works surprisingly well against the warm rose gold. The Luce is marketed as a women’s watch, but c’mon, with a 39.9mm case and a refined colour profile, anyone could happily wear this.
Functionally, you’ll find the day of the week at three, the date at six, the month at nine, and moonphase up top at twelve. The dial is a snap to read, given all that’s going on, and the annual calendar means that you only need to manually correct the date once a year at the end of February.
The movement is the self-winding 26-330 S QA LU, which runs at 4Hz and has a reserve of 45 hours. Water resistance is limited to 30 metres.
| Brand | Patek Philippe |
| Model | Aquanaut Luce 5261R-001 |
| Case Dimensions | 39.9mm (D) x 10.9mm (T) |
| Case Material | Rose gold |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Dial | Blue-grey |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire |
| Bracelet/Strap | Blue-grey composite rubber |
| Movement | 26-330 S QA LU automatic |
| Power Reserve | 45 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, annual calendar, moonphase |
| Availability | Now |
| Price | US$61,510 |
Patek Philippe Aquanaut 2023 novelties pricing and availability:
Patek Phillipe’s 2023 Aquanaut novelties are available now. Price: US$75,700 (5968R-001), US$53,820 (5268R/200R-010), US$61,510(5261R-001).