Nautilus collecting began with an uncompromising belief in stainless steel. When Gérald Genta shaped the Reference 3700 in 1976, the porthole case and integrated bracelet presented a deliberate industrial aesthetic. Five decades later, auction results at Sotheby's reveal that the highest prices attach to precious metals, rare gems, and commemorative dials.
The five most expensive examples sold since 2022 demonstrate how modern desire shifted. Collectors consistently chase the moments where the manufacture pushed past traditional boundaries to create exceptionally restricted editions.
The Power of the Nautilus Dial and Provenance
Leading the auction hierarchy is the Reference 5711 Tiffany Blue, which achieved 20.4 million Hong Kong dollars in April 2023, translating to 2.6 million dollars. Created in 2021 as a limited run of 170 pieces, the watch marked 170 years of partnership between Patek Philippe and Tiffany and Co. Antoine Norbert de Patek established that commercial alliance with Charles Lewis Tiffany in 1851. The turquoise lacquered dial closed out the fifteen-year production run of the steel Reference 5711, powered by the automatic caliber 26-330 SC.
Second in the auction rankings is the Reference 5723/112R-001, which commanded 900,000 dollars in December 2024. Finished in 18-karat pink gold, the 40.5 mm case features a bezel set with baguette rubies and a chocolate brown dial with matching ruby hour markers. Tiffany and Co. originally retailed this piece in 2018. It relies on the caliber 324, applying high jewelry discipline directly to Genta's original sports silhouette.
Platinum commands an equally devoted following in this market tier. The Reference 5711/111P-001 realized 6.5 million Hong Kong dollars in September 2026, equal to 824,000 dollars. Produced circa 2018, this 40 mm piece carries 32 baguette sapphires on the bezel alongside twelve sapphire dial markers and an automatic caliber 324 SC. A discreet diamond set at six o'clock on the bezel signifies the platinum case construction.
Patek Philippe kept this sapphire model outside standard catalogues, allocating fewer than ten examples per configuration to selected collectors. The reference forms part of an ultra-rare family that also featured diamond, ruby, and emerald variants. Extreme discretion in distribution created immense secondary market demand.
Commemorative Scale and Decorative Craftsmanship
Anniversary pieces also establish high benchmarks. The Reference 5976/1G-001 achieved 630,000 Swiss francs in May 2022, equivalent to 761,000 dollars. Released in 2016 in a run of 1,300 examples for the 40th anniversary of the collection, the white gold watch expanded to 44 mm across. It paired a flyback chronograph caliber 28-520 with a blue sunburst dial displaying baguette diamond markers and an embossed 1976-40-2016 inscription.
Artistic craft provided the foundation for the fifth entry, the Reference 5720 Diamond and Enamel Dragon, which brought 5.7 million Hong Kong dollars in April 2024, or 728,000 dollars. Built circa 2012 for the opening of the Shanghai branch, the 40 mm white gold watch features a five-clawed dragon across the dial and bezel. The design incorporates ten distinct enamel colors alongside hand-engraved clouds and 1,648 diamonds totaling 9.358 carats, powered by caliber 324.
These sale figures demonstrate that collectors place their greatest capital behind extreme executions. The standard steel sports watch proved the strength of the case geometry. The secondary market places its ultimate premium on the rare editions that dressed that geometry in gold, enamel, and stones.
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