Now here’s something you don’t see every day.

What we have here is clearly a Patek Philippe, but is it a Nautilus or an Aquanaut? The answer is: yes. The reference 5060J is a moderately scarce watch — introduced in 1996 for the 20th anniversary of the Nautilus, it was a piece that completely changed that famed model’s profile, adding lugs, a solid gold case, a leather strap, a glossy black dial with Roman indices, and removing the famous Nautilus case “ears” that were inspired by the hinges on a porthole. It was produced in a run of only a few hundred pieces and was meant to be a dressier version of the ref. 3800 Nautilus. Then, a year later in 1997, Patek released the first official Aquanaut, the 5060A — a watch clearly based on the 5060J’s profile.

This particular 5060J, dates to the 2000s and features a 36mm 18K yellow gold case, a sapphire crystal, an 18K gold signed crown, a luminous glossy black “Roman” dial with applied indices and matching feuille handset, a date window at 3 o’clock, and the Calibre 330/194 automatic movement. It’s fitted to a signed black alligator strap with a signed 18K gold deployant clasp.

A steel Nautilus is practically impossible to buy at retail, and the Nautilus isn’t much easier to come by. But the 5060J is a bit of both, and what’s more, is a historically significant model within the Patek Philippe catalog. 

What more could a collector ask for?