replica Patek Philippe Watches Aquanaut Ref. 5065A
Thanks, this is new retro!
Have you heard of Aquanaut?
I am joking. Of course! Or maybe you haven’t because watches are new to you – in which case, welcome! I recently spent some time, a "week" if you will, looking at stunning examples of entry-level Patek Philippe watches.
Before we get to the good stuff, let’s recap my point. In 1997, Aquanaut arrived on the scene with the 5060A (the A stood for Acier, which is French for steel, click on the video to hear my impeccable pronunciation). Designed to fill a gap in the Patek Philippe collection, and appealed to newly wealthy collectors thanks to the dot-com craze of the 90s (kudos to the pet dot-com craze and RIP), the Aquanaut was a more casual, less expensive answer to the Nautilus.
This stylish young product has clear echoes of Gérald Genta’s designs, but gives the luxury cheap Watches a sporty aesthetic through a composite rubber strap, slightly smaller dimensions and a “grenade” dial. I could go on, but for the sake of my time and yours, I'll direct you to this incredibly well-researched and skillfully written deep dive by James E. Stacey. Some masterpieces are meant to be reinterpreted, others simply meant to be shared.
So why was this video taken if this watch was a regular use in Hodinki and elsewhere? Well, I'm feeling a little silly and crazy and I thought I'd use this watch to talk about something that interests me and, I hope, in turn, interests you too. This AWOTW is not about all Aquanauts, but about one Aquanaut from 2001 that falls into a specific collecting category: neo-retro.
It's a strange alchemy that defines neo-retro. There's no agreed-upon start date - generally the early 90s, with modern times starting - well - later. Neo-retro is a combination of pedigree, attributes and timing. Enter "my" Aquanaut 5065A, here for help and a more detailed description of this somewhat nebulous category. This watch was created at the turn of the century, and its birthday and ubiquity, along with some features no longer found on modern Aquanauts, have made it revered in the vintage watch collecting community. Since she was (in period-appropriate parlance) not yet a girl, nor a woman, she combined ease of use with those retro features.
One week on the wrist
Not to brag, but I've tried Aquanaut before. But this is the first time I've actually worn it, and if you watch even five seconds of the video, you'll see that I've completely forgotten how to perform. Aquanauts in general feel special, but this one adds a little extra pep in my step because it feels like, yes, I'm wearing a beautiful watch, but there are a few details that make it extra special special. This watch deserves a closer look. replica U-BOAT Watches
Tritium light is the biggest and most obvious neo-retro element. Found on the dial and hands, it has aged to a buttery perfection and stands out very much on the dial, which has deeper grooves than modern watches (tritium was not used until about 2004). Sure, it touches on the "if you know it you know it" secret handshake aspect of watch collecting, but if someone sat on the watch for a few seconds, I bet they would be able to appreciate the color and texture of the watch. The gaps in the dial of this Aquanaut watch extend to the strap, almost putting you in a meditative state. I think if this watch didn't come with a composite strap, I would be very frustrated at not being able to experience the tactile feel of the dial that I need. But fortunately, the sapphire case was intact and did not fall into my curious fingers.
Let’s talk about that green strap. While not OEM, the Khaki Green Composite is another rare strap that collectors desire, and the straps themselves have developed a bit of a cult following. But what I appreciate about this particular green is that while it's bold in your hand, it becomes almost neutral on the wrist. The green didn't stand out as much as I thought it would on me or anyone else who tried it that day. In fact, all five of us tried it on on set, looked great, sighed deeply, and fell madly in love—true Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants magic at work here. luxury replica watches
All that surprisingly luscious rubber paired with a stainless steel case that creates a nice contrast and continues the design lineage. A notable feature of this Aquanaut is the display caseback, which is an improvement over the closed casebacks of previous generations, allowing those holding it in hot little hands to see the 315 SC movement in action.
Interestingly, this was actually the first "Jumbo" Aquanaut, growing from 36mm to 38mm (ridiculously small by today's standards for a so-called Jumbo - compared to the current model is 42 mm). It's 8mm thick, making it ideal for wearing on the wrist, and the shape and taper of the strap helps maintain balance. What an interesting piece of Patek Philippe history it is to own, especially as it makes so clear the changing tastes in watch sizes.
Contest
Hyundai Aquanaut 5167A
surprise! Well, here we are. Like people who like to exercise say, you're just competing against yourself or your future self or whatever. The modern Aquanaut has some advantages that the 5065A does not. They share stainless steel, screw-down crown, exhibition caseback, and composite strap. Modern products come in sizes up to non-Jumbo 40.8mm. There are some minor changes to the dial design, instead of placing the date window next to the three numerals like the 5060A, it has simply been replaced in the modern iteration, and the deep grooves of the Grenade dial have been replaced with shallower etched engravings. replica mens watches
5167A is powered by the self-winding caliber 324 SC, which is used in many Patek Philippe watches. It has a 45-hour power reserve and a stop-seconds function.
2006 Vacheron Constantin travels all over the world 47040
The 2006 Vacheron Overseas is another watch with an aquatic name from the august brand, and it’s slightly larger (42mm) than the 5065A. You'll miss out on some of the action in the Aquanaut thanks to the automatic movement and closed caseback, and of course the integrated stainless steel bracelet wears, wears and feels differently than a composite one. But for just $18,000, you can get a venerable piece of haute horlogerie at a bargain price, but with a not-so-sophisticated price tag.
concluding thoughts
I mean, this watch is great. Some people (some might even call them haters) have always thought that the Aquanaut was a watered-down Nautilus. Everyone can think what they want. I'm not anyone's boss (except for some Hodinkee editors), but to them I say, "Hey man, relax, you're missing out on the bold world of Aquanauts, especially 5065A."
I know there is a small group of big spenders who might even consider looking for a neo-retro Aquanaut, but maybe, just maybe, those of us on a more limited budget will turn to neo-vintage examples of other watches to broaden our collecting horizons People who are currently in the adolescence of watch collecting. There's a lot of value to be found without sacrificing serviceability, and there are plenty of special details to entice others to participate. After all, isn’t that what this is all about? Replica Breitling Endurance Pro
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