When Patek Philippe released the Nautilus in 1976, it was a departure from the traditional designs for which the brand was so well-known. Two decades later, they went a step further and unveiled the Aquanaut – a more casual, sporty alternative…and the first Patek with a rubber strap. It was clearly inspired by the design of the Nautilus but had a certain style of its own. Let’s take a look at the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167a, which was updated in 2007 and is still produced today.

The watch features a 40mm stainless steel case with a distinct rounded-octagon bezel. Beautifully hand-finished, the mix of brushed and polished surfaces create a luxurious, yet understated design. The “tropical” rubber strap has a textured pattern and integrates perfectly to the case & lugs, which adds to the overall appearance of the watch. One thing to note – the strap must be cut to your exact size, which allows the butterfly folding clasp to sit centered under your wrist with no extra strap remaining. It also means that you have little margin for error, as there are no extra holes or adjustments to be made.

The dial is special – grey metallic, satin-brushed with applied numerals and a unique globe-like guilloche pattern. Somehow it all comes together to create a look that is both sporty and refined. Even under heavy magnification, these details are crisp and very well done.

Through the display caseback, you can view the self-winding calibre 324sc, which is also used in the Nautilus 5711. It is nicely finished, accurate, and meets the strict quality standards of the Patek Seal.

With its sleek design, beautiful finishing and 120m of water resistance, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167a is suitable for most occasions. In fact, the Aquanaut offers a rare combination of under-the-radar luxury and sports watch versatility that very few timepieces can match.