Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980

Even though Patek Philippe has a reputation for designing very elegant watches primarily worn with formal dress attire, the brand also produces a handful of sports watches. The Nautilus 5980 is considered by some connoisseurs and watch collectors as the ultimate luxury sports watch designed and manufactured by one of the greatest watch manufacturers in the world.

The History of The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980

When you talk about evocative elements in the modern horology industry, the Nautilus name is the first thing that comes to the minds of watch collectors and enthusiasts. Among watch auction goers, connoisseurs, and manufacturers themselves, the Patek Philippe brand commands respect, distinguishment, and reverence while developing truly avant-garde complications, artistic finishes, and incomparable style.

Legends have a habit of consistently making themselves noticed, respected, and known, and every luxury watch collector, no matter where they are in the world will eventually discover or come upon the saga of the Nautilus collection.

The Nautilus 5980 was launched in 2006, the same year the Swiss watch manufacturer decided to reintroduce its entire line of Nautilus watches. 2006 was also the year the brand celebrated three decades of the success of the Nautilus series, an incredible milestone and achievement that Patek Philippe enthusiasts should always keep in mind.

Purists would contend that the 5980 was never manufactured in the image of its predecessor – arguing that the Nautilus 5712 received much more admiration and renown than the 5980. However, that is simply not the case. Looking at it from a broader perspective, what a lot of people did not realize at the time was that the Patek Philippe 5980 wasn't just a symbol of the label's 30th anniversary but was also the first Nautilus to comprise the brand's cutting-edge and newly upgraded, in-house automatic chronograph mechanism.

While the aesthetically and mechanically brilliant movement is mostly cherished in the Nautilus 5960, which was also introduced in 2006, the 5980 was able to propel the Nautilus brand to incredible heights. By navigating away from the philosophy of the Nautilus series without necessarily isolating it, the 5980 managed to become a desirable timepiece among wearers who demanded a more sporty look while beautifully becoming a statement piece.

The Incredible Chronographic Mechanism: A Gem of a Movement 

Patek Philippe introduced its highly innovative in-house CH 28-520 movement in 2006, including both the Nautilus 5980 and the 5960P. An incredible piece of watch engineering and craftsmanship, it's astounding the painstaking level of detail invested in the 5980. Consider this. Patek Philippe managed to intricately and beautifully implement the 5980's maintenance-free casing, built with ceramic winding rotor bearings for the chronographic movement, including a vertical clutch that allows the movement to function uninterruptedly without sustaining damage.

Furthermore, the mechanism also includes a column wheel that allows the pusher feel to stay nice and rigid. This provides the wearer with an impressive 55-hour power reserve that effortlessly goes above and beyond the brand's norm at the time (42-hour), and meticulously designed free-sprung balance for enhanced shock-resistance, giving the wearer sheer precision.

The watch highlights the brand's classic Geneva Hallmark, which the wearer can see through the sapphire case back. Overall, it is difficult to argue that this fine craftsmanship, artistry, and painstaking watch engineering were not a love letter to the brand's utmost devotees and those who hail the company's dedication and personification of art.

The Penultimate Design: Capturing the Very Essence of the Nautilus Philosophy

While the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980 comprises a wondrous in-house chronograph movement, it has also mesmerized watch enthusiasts and connoisseurs with its awe-inspiring design. While the Nautilus editions that came before the 5980 were meant to be the representation of reserved masculinity and customary or long-established prestige and elegance, the 5980 was among the first in the Nautilus series that could proudly be called the most masculine watch in the series.

Unlike a conventional Patek Philippe, the Nautilus 5980 was designed to go toe-to-toe with Rolex's professional Oyster series watches as well as compete with the incredible Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. The 5980 was the Swiss watchmaker's biggest in terms of size in the Nautilus series. It is a watch that commands respect and has a pretty noticeable wrist presence, which is exactly in line with how it looks physically. It is a masculine watch, after all.

While the watches in the Nautilus series introduced in the late 70s were designed as big as 42mm (which isn't exactly small), the premium finishing and quality, as well as the thickness of the 5980 casing are designed for longevity, robustness, and timeless elegance. It is a sports watch built to sustain anything you throw at it.

In addition, the 5980 is designed with flared flanks, staying true to the OG Nautilus combining an artful implementation of tapered chronograph pushers. Patek Philippe has also extended the case wings of the 5980, to store the control systems of the chronograph effortlessly. By doing so, the brand has further made a testament to staying true to the symmetrical design of the original watch by none other than Gerald Genta. The beautification of the watch is further highlighted thanks to the watch's framed gradient dial.

The 5980's horizontally striated shading completely changed from azure to jet black as the dial diminishes to its external-most boundaries at the twelve o'clock and six o'clock mark. The Swiss luxury watch giant was wise to have dispensed with a typical compact look and assortment of sub-dials that transform a lot of innovatively built watches into a mess of calibrations.

Epic Functionality and Features of the 5980 Patek Philippe Nautilus

Instead of having a triple or double register display, the Nautilus 5980 has a chronograph display, which displays seconds, hours, and minutes on a primary seconds hand as well as a monocounter that is intricately situated at the six o'clock position. The hours and minutes display is designed to overlap at the base of the dial, ensuring and bolstering the accuracy and symmetry of the OG Patek Philippe Nautilus.

While the Nautilus 5980 does not have a continuously ticking seconds hand, the company instead used a vertical clutch to operate the chronograph. This made it easier for the wearer to use the center seconds hand, converting it into continuous service with no adverse effects on the chronographic movement.

Evidently, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980 will always be revered as the same prestigious and elegant Nautilus original that many watch collectors and connoisseurs love and adore with an added implementation of an avant-garde chronograph movement. Different than many major watch manufacturers famous for using the triple sub-dial methodology, Patek Philippe went with a different design philosophy with 5980, giving it a more minimal but boundlessly elegant approach using a single but bigger sub-dial that can clearly be seen at the six o'clock mark.

The subdial is also implemented as the timepiece's coaxial chronologic counter, helping the wearer keep track of the hour and minute counter without necessarily needing another subdial within the watch. This also enables the watch to retain the very clean and pristine symmetrical aesthetic that watch enthusiasts came to adore about the original Nautilus.

Movie Stars and A-List Celebrity Athletes Donning the Majestic Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980

Rihanna

Bold, beautiful, and immensely talented, Rihanna is considered one of the most successful, prominent, and influential songwriters, singers, and entrepreneurs of her generation. Among her numerous accomplishments and achievements, Rihanna has produced fourteen number-one songs in the US and won nine Grammy Awards. In addition, the singer has invested heavily in various humanitarian causes, has become an entrepreneur, and is currently a pretty well-known makeup mogul.

Originally from Barbados, Rihanna has predominantly lived in the US. Her first professional gig was in 2005 when she signed with none other than Def Jam Records. Thanks to her beautiful voice and enchanting performances, the singer managed to get a lot of mainstream recognition following the launch of two of her studio albums "Music of the Sun" which came out in 2005, and "A Girl Like Me" which came out in 2006. A lot of her music is directly inspired by Caribbean culture.

Over the entire course of her illustrious music career, Rihanna was able to sell more than 250 million records throughout the world. She skyrocketed to global stardom and repute, becoming the 2nd best female artist and top-selling singer of all time. In addition, the RIAA's Top Artists also ranked her as the highest-certified female singer and songwriter in their Digital Singles ranking.

When she is not recording, Rihanna can be seen attending events and parties and has been spotted numerous times wearing the elegant 5980 Patek Philippe Nautilus in 18k rose gold.

Offset

Offset is a reputed and popular rap artist and songwriter. His real name is Kiari Kendrell Cephus. His rise to fame and prominence as a rapper came when he performed with the Migos, a hip-hop group based in the US. In addition, Offset has worked with similar hip-hop groups such as Quavo, performing alongside his nephew, Takeoff (late).

In 2017, Offset released his studio album in partnership with another American singer and songwriter, Metro Boomin, performing alongside 21 Savage. The album was called "Without Warning" and managed to quickly propel to success, landing right in the Billboard Top 200 charts. The single "Ric Flair Drip" from the album was a major hit in the US and across the world, landing on the Billboard Hot 100.

Towards the end of 2017, Offset also guest performed with world-renowned hip-hop superstar Drake on Metro Boomin's new single, "No Complaints." When he is not writing songs or performing with renowned rappers and hip-hop artists, Offset is known for his high sense of fashion and his love for luxury watches. He was recently seen wearing the Nautilus 5980R in rose gold.

Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone, the renowned American actor, producer, and filmmaker, requires no formal introduction. His stellar career is marked by his charismatic persona, exceptional acting skills, and versatility. Stallone has garnered numerous awards and accolades in Hollywood. Noteworthy accolades include a Golden Globe Award win, three Academy Award nominations, and two BAFTA Award nominations.

In addition, Sylvester Stallone, along with Harrison Ford, is only one of two actors to have starred in a global box office hit number one movie for 60 years in a row. Stallone had to struggle to get to where he is now. He moved to New York in 1969 and found small roles in movies such as "The Lords of the Flatbush," which was released in 1974.

However, in 1976, Stallone would achieve his biggest and most prominent commercial success – Rocky. Stallone wrote the movie and starred as the main character in the first movie. Owing to the success of his Rocky franchise, Stallone is the only actor in the world to have been nominated for two Academy Awards in the categories of Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor.

Now sitting on an empire worth hundreds of millions, Stallone is hailed for his sense of fashion and his luxury watch collection. He is often seen wearing the exhilarating Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980.

Bottom Line

In the realm of exquisitely elegant watches that implement high-end artistry and craftsmanship, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980 easily stands at the precipice of being considered a horological masterpiece. With its stunning design, intricate artistry, and fantastic performance, the watch effortlessly blends form and functionality, becoming a pure objet d'art. If you're interested in purchasing a Patek Philippe Nautilus, consider Patek specialist Avi & Co.