Reply With QuoteI tried in a colleagues nautilus the other day and did feel a little underwhelmed by it. It was only for a couple of minutes, so no time to adjust, but surprised by this.
Let me elaborate on the thread title:
I am fascinated with the Patek Nautilus, but used to the heft and 12,7 mm thickness of a Rolex Sub.
Having tried the 5711 and 5712 a few times, I am drawn to the look, design, craftmanship etc - but the thinness of the watch (8,5 mm) combined with the fact that its a sports steel watch with bracelet somehow plays tricks with my mind... Like the thinness and weight doesnt add up with its other dimensions somehow.
Anyone experience the same - and for owners, did it wear off as soon as you started wearing it more? (I recall a post from an owner who sold his Rolex Deep Sea after getting a Nautilus, probably for similar reasons)
Thanks
I tried in a colleagues nautilus the other day and did feel a little underwhelmed by it. It was only for a couple of minutes, so no time to adjust, but surprised by this.
Adjustment is needed with any watch really, it's just less top heavy than you're used to.
Took off my Sinn UX on bracelet yesterday and replaced it with my Breitling Aerospace... Now THAT felt weird!
could always do a 5726 for example.
Yes that was on my radar for a 2015 purchase, prefer the complications and extra thickness, but a house move has moved that plan completely off the screen...Originally Posted by jedly1
Yes. I am leaning towards 5726 as a result of this, just wish they made it with blue face, and micro rotor. In fact, my ideal Nautilus would probably be a 5712 with a 5726 case :-)
OR I just need to adjust and get used to the 5712 being less top heavy as suggested.
I wonder if anyone upgraded their Nautilus 5711/12 to a 5726 or 5980 to get more wristpresence..
The biggest issue is getting the bracelet right. There is no micro adjustment, so you have to rely on either removing links or getting a 1.5 link piece.
The watch itself wears beautifully and is one of the few sports watches that actually sits comfortably under a shirt cuff. I rotate mine with a Sub and a few other chunky watches and don't relate to the concerns you voiced. In fact, when I do wear it, I often find myself thinking how the Nautilus does everything very well - dressy, casual, smart, with a suit, etc - and start to question the sense of owning other, compromised, sports models. It's at this stage that I remember that I am a WIS and that collecting and owning more than one watch is in my blood! ;)
With that said, imho, the Nautilus is one of the finest all-rounders.
Last edited by AM94; 31st August 2014 at 10:53.
I think the thinness and low profile is the main appeal and sets it out as very different to most sport watches, although I have slimmer wrists and probably suits me more.
Sure, it's thinner in profile than a divers watch, but I find the dimensions of the Patek nearly perfect! The chrono version is bigger, but I don't like the proportions of it, somehow the bezel and thickness just isn't right.
As a relatively new 5712 owner, I have to say that of all the watches I've owned, it's the one that I felt the most instant connection to.
We seem to be living in an age where watches are designed to be artificially large and thick, whereas at other times being as thin as possible was the mark of technical achievement and sophistication. It's a matter of perspective and there always is an adjustment period to a different design philosophy, especially when it's not the current trend. But wearing an ultra-thin watch with a shirt is always what makes sense of it for me. Even if they look a bit surprising in their own, once they're peeping out from under a shirt cuff it all makes perfect sense.
The word 'underwhelmed' comes up quite often about watches that are smaller or thinner, and that always amuses me. It's as if people think something expensive should be larger than usual, or you're not getting value for money. I'd rather something was overwhelmingly stylish than overwhelmingly large.
Nice pics Henk
I've also had my 5712 for just 3 weeks now. Not wearing it daily but generally wearing it about 3 days a week, with the other days moving from a GMTc
The GMTc has been a beater for 6 years, and seems to look perfect whatever abuse it gets. Moving from that to the PP is a little strange and certainly the difference in thickness, weight and lack of bezel protection means I'm more cautious with it (that might also be the fact that I got it brand new and its in a price range that I never thought I would get to !)
I just can't get my head round the idea that the PP is an out and out sports watch that will take the same treatment as a Rolex steel sports. Its just to elegant/dressy/non-tool for that treatment.
Excuse to post some shots:
I think 'sports watch' is a bit of a misnomer anyway, as these watches were never conceived for use playing any kind of sport. They were simply stainless steel bracelet all-rounders that that could be worn with casual as well as smart clothes, differentiating them from the purely dress watches in the range. The nearest most of these will get to actual sport is a being worn with polo shirt or sitting in a corporate box.
This is quite interesting. Technology has driven many things smaller...like mobile phones...which then started growing again as we moved toward smartphones and there was a need/technical justification to make them larger again.
Most watches have grown, substantially, and there seems no reason other than fashion/consumer demand (whichever you think is the driving force). In most cases there is no technical need to a watch that was 38mm to become 42mm. There is also nothing more you can do with a larger watch...it's not like a bigger car, bigger tv...etc.
I'm trying to think of a similar product that has experienced a similar trend. Other than jewellery perhaps.
All that £££ and it still has drilled lugs... eeeek!
There's some adjustment when I put on my Nautilus, as most of my other watches are divers and a fair bit thicker. However, after a few days it feels great on the wrist. When I then put on something larger it feels huge for a couple of days!
5712R has a lovely weight to it, as does the WG version.
I'm with you on the misnomer of the term 'sports' watch. perhaps a better term would be a 'watch for watching sports' or 'watch sports watch'? I'm imagining the perfect scenario for my Nautilus (if I ever get there) would be watching the Wimbledon men's final on centre court with a big glass of fizz and a bucket of strawberries. toodle pip
The 5712 looks quite large to me, but then I've small wrists (16.5 cm). The fashion for larger watches has not done me any favours. Only benefit I can think of is allowing a larger movement with more power reserve.
Slight change of subject.
I'm thinking of a 3900; any comments on the size? It's stated as 32mm but not sure how it wears across the lugs. (Or whether that includes the 'ears'.) I've worn a 33mm vintage classic round case design before and happy with it.
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