Page Dimensions

Approx. 9" x 11 3/4" (22cm x 29cm)

Story and Details

The Aquanaut is no longer the entry-level Patek Philippe it was back in 1997, when it debuted in the form of the reference 5060A and retailed for around $5,000. Since then, the small, casual, sporty offering has gradually grown in diameter, but exponentially grown in demand - and price. Despite the role the Aquanaut plays in today's watch culture, and how much it's become a pillar of Patek as much as the Nautilus, Calatrava, and various complications are, it may be surprising it's not a model you'll find in a print advertisement. That's right. No matter the version, or the metal, I've never seen a magazine ad for the staple Ref. 5167 or more sophisticated Travel Time Ref. 5164. And same goes for what is maybe the most-popular Aquanaut, the Ref. 5065 "Jumbo."  Although produced for nearly a decade, and during an era well before it reached "It Watch" status, I've never seen a magazine ad for this "grenade" dial Grail. Which brings me to this 1999 advertisement... I believe it's the only magazine ad showing an Aquanaut. What else it has going for it is it's a wonderful example of Patek's famous "Generations" campaign, which I think is among the most well known, most-effective advertising campaigns ever created. Although brilliant marketing, I don't always love the familial imagery. But I find this staged moment between father and son to come across genuine and sweet. For me, it's a more-relatable image than the majority of the portraitures used over the years. If we dive into this historic ad a bit more, namely reading the copy and fine print, you'll notice mention of its lineage as the model is officially called the "Nautilus Aquanaut." And reading the last line of text, we can assume the model pictured is the Ref. 5066A.