One of the biggest surprises I had during Baselworld this year was the Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph 5990/1A. I just didn’t see it coming. And besides, a new Nautilus is always worthy of fanfare!
I’ve always found the Genta-designed Nautilus to be the reference of what a luxury sports watch should be. But like most of Gerald Genta’s designs, I’m attracted to their original time-only iterations, where their simplicity allows for the case and dial elements to truly stand out.
Now, I won’t call this a review, because honestly the five minutes or so you get to handle a watch at Patek Philippe’s Baselworld novelties presentation with at least 30 other journalists is not nearly enough time to appreciate a watch’s finer details.
Introduced as a replacement to the now-discontinued Nautilus Chronograph 5980/1A chronograph, the 5990/1A takes things to the next level by introducing a set of functions never before soon on a Nautilus, as we as a modified case design to fit it all in.
I’ll admit that I was never the biggest fan of the “bullseye” chronograph dial on the 5980. It felt like overkill on a watch with case that and dial that already had so much going for it. On the 5990/1A, it’s the complete opposite. the Nautilus’ horizontal grooved dial pattern is as pronounced as ever, without any one detail immediately grabbing your yes as was the case in the 5980.
The perfectly symmetrical dial is done in a dark anthracite colour that blackens towards the edges; a Nautilus trademark. The chronograph’s minutes register is placed 6 0’clock, with a date sub-dial at 12 o’clock to balance it. On either side of the dial you have a day/night window for local and home times. Speaking of, the second time-zone hand is fashioned in white (not sure if its luminous paint) with a skeleton centre, contrasting against the metal and painted hour and minute hands mounted above it. With all that’s going on, it remains a relatively clean dial. Nothing feels out of place here.
With the new CH 28-520 C FUS column-wheel flyback chronograph movement coupled with the second timezone with day/night indication module, I had expected the 5990 to be even thicker than its predecessor. And I think that’s precisely where the genius in the 5990’s external design lies: they’ve managed to add more complications and case features without sacrificing the harmonious proportions of the Nautilus.
The most outstandingly clever feature is the pusher system for the second time-zone on the left side of the case, which are seamlessly integrated and concealed within the case’s lines, replicating the shape of the “ear” you’d normally find between the case and bezel.
Not only is the 5990/1A the most feature-packed and functional Nautilus to date, it’s also one of the most successful variations to the original Genta design from a design perspective. It took me while to warm up to the altered case and to see it as far more than just a cross between the Nautilus Chronograph 5980 and Aquanaut Travel Time 5164, and now I can honestly say this is one of the most appealing Patek Philippe sports watch ever made.
The Patek Philippe Nautilus Chronograph Travel Time 5990/1A comes with an expectedly hefty pricetag of $57’300.
More information on www.patekphilippe.com
