Released in 1996 as an evolution within Patek Philippe's sports watch offerings alongside the Aquanaut, the Patek Philippe Neptune was designed with the intention of being ideal for sportswear while also being supremely elegant. Merging some classic elements of a stereotypical sports watch design such as crown guards and a heavily-lumed handset and dial with some more delicate flourishes such as engine turned bezels, diamonds and Roman numeral hour markers punctuating its dial and the like, depending on the variant at least, the Neptune ultimately failed to meet Patek's commercial expectations due to its inability to penetrate a particular market and was thus ultimately discontinued in 2005. However, this ref. 5085/1A still lives on as a wonderful celebration of Patek's goal to create a sports infused dress watch, with its unique stainless steel construction, distinctive bracelet and monotone black dial combining to create a stunningly luxurious aesthetic that speaks to modern tastes as we seek increasingly luxurious sports watch options. Indeed, the ref. 5085 features a clear link to Patek’s sports watches as it boasts the same asymmetrical dial arrangement as the Nautilus ref. 3712 and modern 5712 with its display boasting a moon phase indicator encircled by a pointer date, a power reserve indicator and a running seconds subdial. Perhaps the Neptune was just ahead of time, and should it have been released today it would fare much better. One thing’s for sure, we love its unique design and special place within Patek’s historical catalog as a merger between their classical aesthetic and growing appreciation for sports watches.

Watch is in excellent overall condition. Case shows minor surface wear without any major scratches or marks. The original dial is in near-mint condition with luminous that has aged in tone. Hands are original but are lighter in tone. Bracelet has 18 links, 4 removable. There is minor stretch.

An intriguing proposition considering just how far ahead of the curve it would turn out that Patek were at the time, the Neptune demonstrates that while Patek might typically be conservative with their aesthetic that when they branch out from their normal design language, they can create watches that speak to tastes far into the future, just like how the Aquanaut, Nautilus and now Neptune have proven.