Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167

The Origins

Debuting as Patek Philippe’s second sports watch, the Aquanaut was built upon the foundations that the Nautilus had already laid twenty years prior, while also expanding into new territory that the Nautilus and Patek Philippe as a whole had never resided within before. Released in 1997, the Aquanaut updated the Nautilus’ sporty design so as to offer greater performance while also remaining trendy and stylish, so as to speak to a new, younger clientele. Additionally, the Aquanaut boasted Patek Philippe’s renowned craftsmanship as Patek Philippe sought to appease their traditional customer base and maintain the standards that had earned them their place within the watchmaking hierarchy.

Sporting a tropical rubber strap – a first for Patek at the time, a softened octagonal bezel and an interestingly textured dial, the Aquanaut began life with a rather slow start, but eventually found its footing in the marketplace. With 120m of water resistance and its casual aesthetic, the Aquanaut forged its place within Patek’s catalogue, a place that it has today rightfully kept since the collection’s debut. As one might imagine, the Aquanaut has seen several references join its ranks, and the most modern of all is the ref. 5167 that we are exploring today.

Debuting in 2007, the ref. 5167 celebrated the Aquanaut’s 10th anniversary with a bang as it catapulted the collection into the era of modern watchmaking. While the ref. 5060 that existed before it was just the 35.6mm in diameter, the ref. 5167 featured an increased diameter of 40.8mm, thus allowing the collection to fit in with contemporary sizing standards.

The Case and Dial

Perhaps the Aquanaut’s most obvious link to the Nautilus is its case shape and construction. Famed for its soft octagonal shape, the Nautilus’ imprint on the Aquanaut is obvious, with the corners of the Aquanaut’s eight-sided bezel even softer than its sibling. Additionally, another link to the Nautilus’ case is the shape of the Aquanaut’s crown guards which resemble the porthole hinges that flank either side of the Nautilus’ case. Adding some individuality to the Aquanaut’s case are its lugs, which give the watch a more casual aesthetic than the Nautilus simply as it more closely resembles a typical watch that you might see every day directly as a result.

With the introduction of the ref. 5167, the Aquanaut was given an enlarged diameter of 40.8mm, as mentioned, that allowed the collection to occupy the same space as other sports watches, which are traditionally on the larger side. Offered in stainless steel on the ref. 5167A or 18k rose gold on the ref. 5167R, the Aquanaut’s construction just screams of sophistication and careful experimentation.

In addition to its larger case than before, the ref. 5167 also introduced a new more refined dial design to the collection. While the references that came before it featured a dial design like the pattern on the outside of a grenade with thick lines and generally unrefined, the ref. 5167 took that same blueprint and gave it the ‘Patek’ treatment whereby it sports the same Arabic numerals and chapter ring as before, but its underlying pattern has changed for a similar design but with thinner lines, sharper corners and a more elegant aesthetic, which coincides with the ref. 5167’s contemporary luxury feeling. Offered in black on the stainless steel ref. 5167A and brown on the 18k rose gold ref. 5167R, each of these variants’ dials match the rubber strap whose embossed pattern matches the dial’s texture.

The Movement

Like a lot of watches these days, the movement powering the ref. 5167 is not as simple as one might like it to be. Today, the ref. 5167 is powered by the automatic cal. 26-330 S C movement, a testament to Patek Philippe's relentless pursuit of mechanical excellence. This movement, visible through the ref. 5167’s sapphire crystal caseback, features innovations that improve the efficiency and longevity of its base caliber, the cal. 324, such as a Gyromax balance and a Spiromax® balance spring. And, thanks to the ref. 5167’s cal. 26-330 S C the watch’s case sits at just 8.1mm tall, meaning it is a delight to wear on the wrist.

However, its power reserve is a rather short 45 hours, but it does have a perfectly normal 4Hz beat rate alongside exhibiting some exceptional levels of finishing, particularly for a sports watch. However, the ref. 5167 was also powered by the cal. 315 S C in its first year, which featured a 48 hour power reserve – 3 hours more than in the later examples. It is important to note, though, that this greater power reserve was at the greatly reduced beat rate of 3Hz, so at 4Hz the ref. 315 SC would have only lasted around 34-36 hours, and with its reduced beat rate it isn’t quite as accurate as the later models.

Celeb Love

Of course, as a sports watch from Patek, the Aquanaut ref. 5167 in both of its material of choice have proven to be immensely popular with celebrities who favour it for its toned-down and casual presence on the wrist thanks to its rubber strap and softer lines than a watch like the Nautilus, making it an easier watch to wear when trying to fly under the radar. 

Additionally, thanks to its iconic design and legendary position within Patek’s catalogue, it is an easy watch for those in the know to spot and appreciate, giving celebs the best of both worlds. As a result, celebrities like John Mayer, Paul McCartney, Harry Kane and plenty more have grown an affection for the stainless steel ref. 5167A. Embracing the more exuberant side of watchmaking, celebrities like Stormzy and Tom Holland, who seems to like the ref. 5167 in all of its forms, have been spotted wearing the ref. 5167’s 18k rose gold variant, the ref. 5167R.

Market Performance

Like other sports watches from high-end brands like Patek Philippe, the Aquanaut is a truly sought-after watch across the board. As one of Patek’s most affordable offerings, the Aquanaut invites an exceptional level of demand, the ref. 5167A, priced at just $24520 sees the majority of it. This results in a market value of about $70000, or a price premium of 185%, which is a staggery 100% greater than the ref. 5167R’s price premium of 85%.

Boasting a market value of around $86000, the ref. 5167R’s premium is hindered by its significantly more expensive retail price of $46520, an obvious result of its 18k rose gold case and clasp. Like so many of the market’s darlings, the ref. 5167 in both of its forms are worth less than they were about 2-3 years ago, with the ref. 5167R seeing a market value peak of about $148000 in March 2022, and the ref. 5167A seeing a peak of $123000 around the same time.

Check out the live performance of Patek Philippe Aquanaut ref. 5167 at The Wristcheck Index