Released in 1976 as Patek Philippe's response to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, an avant-garde luxury stainless steel sports watch borne from AP's necessity to survive the Quartz Crisis, the Nautilus was Patek Philippe's attempt to go head to head with AP's increasingly popular sports watch. Designed by Gerald Genta, the same man that had designed the Royal Oak, the Nautilus was inspired by a porthole and thus features a rounded-over octagonal bezel and hinge-like protrusions on either side of its case. Featuring its signature horizontally embossed dial and iconic integrated bracelet, the Nautilus has become the most sought-after watch in the market today as collectors clamor over examples thanks to its iconic design, extreme exclusivity, and impeccable craftsmanship.

Released in 2006, the Patek Philippe Nautilus ref. 5711 has grown from some rather humble beginnings as an oft-ignored stainless steel sports watch from a brand renowned for their complications to one of the most exclusive and sought-after timepieces in the world. Following a stratospheric climb to fame, the Nautilus ref. 5711 was seen as the poster child of Patek's reign over the horological world. However, long before this climb, in 2012, Patek launched the silvery-white “Piano” dial Nautilus ref. 5711/1A that we have here and two sibling variants – a chronograph and annual calendar model. Produced from 2012 until its discontinuation in early 2020, the white dial ref. 5711 lived in the shadow of its blue-dialed cousin, and as such, would be a rarer sight on the wrists of collectors. Stepping forward to today, with its shorter production run, greater rarity, and incredibly unique silver-white dial and black hour markers and hands, the Piano ref. 5711 Nautilus has quickly risen the Nautilus ranks and exists as a favorite for many collectors seeking a Nautilus that steps out from the collection’s typical design language and does something rather new.