The most famous and appreciated of Gerald Genta's works was born in 1976, when the great Italian-Swiss designer proposed an innovative model to Patek Philippe executives, whose style was inspired by the portholes of the luxury liners. The name, Nautilus, refers to the legendary submarine of Captain Nemo, whose water resistance is emulated by Patek Philippe thanks to a refined monobloc construction of the case, which allows the Nautilus to combine impermeability to 12 atmospheres – very remarkable for the epoch – and reduced thickness of the watch, to the advantage of wearability and aesthetics.

There are numerous versions of the Patek Philippe Nautilus: this watch, initially designed to be made of steel, was also produced with a yellow gold case and bracelet, rose gold, a gold case and leather strap, with a diamond bezel… The variations have also affected the movement: there are Patek Philippe Nautilus with complications such as the chronograph or, in the reference 5712, the moon phases. The reference 5711 continues the clean style of the previous references 3700 and 3710, adding a transparent caseback to admire its subtle movement. The Patek Philippe Nautilus is currently in production in a version with a green dial, having reference 5711/1A-014.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus, like many highly regarded luxury watches these days, does not enjoy immediate success. The first models struggled to sell and the public didn't understand this wide-eared watch. It is only recently that the Patek Philippe Nautilus has seen its prices soar. Today the price for those who want to put a Patek Philippe Nautilus on their wrist is very high: it is a watch that can be found at prices that are even much higher than the price list.