As you look through the top 5 best-selling Patek Philippes on Chrono24, you’ll notice two opposing trends emerge. On the one hand, people want a piece of Patek’s high horology history. This is the heritage that gave us various world time watches, perpetual calendars, chronographs, and even perpetual calendar chronographs. Diehard watch nerds compete by rattling off reference numbers like 1518, 2499, 3940, and 2526. However, on the other hand, it’s tough to resist the flirtatious glances coming from the sport watches across the bar.
But do you have to choose? Or is it possible to have both? Sure, many of us want a Patek Philippe sports watch pure and simple – an Aquanaut or Nautilus with nothing more than three hands and a date window. But as the data shows, there are plenty of others willing to blur the lines between categories. This means sport watches in precious metals, or on leather straps, or with a complication, or even a few complications. The most interesting part of a Venn Diagram is always the area of overlap.
Not all these watches in the top five will be a surprise to you, but the beautiful thing about Patek Philippe is that beyond the hype, beyond the celebrity watch spotting, there are deep archives. Let this list here be a starting point for you as you find your own top five from arguably the world’s most renowned watch brand.
1. Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-010
It’s perhaps not too surprising that the top selling Patek Philippe reference on the site is the hypest of hype watches. The blue-dialed Nautilus ref. 5711 became the poster child for the watch market’s meteoric rise, selling for many times more than its roughly 30k retail price and gracing the wrists of more than a few celebrities. The model originally designed by Gerald Genta and released in 1976 reached peak relevance with the bright blue Tiffany & Co. dial which sold at an auction for a whopping $6.5 million in late 2021. Since then, the hype has indeed quieted down, but it clearly remains the Patek that many people think of when they imagine a Patek Philippe. Inspired by a ship’s porthole, there’s a hinged case, a dial resembling a ship’s deck, and one of the most comfortable bracelets you’ll ever find.
2. Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5168G-001
Despite Patek Philippe’s illustrious history of demure yet complicated timepieces, the crowd favorites have proven to be their sportier models. Case in point, the Aquanaut 5168G is #2 on today’s list. Two small surprises, however, it’s white gold instead of steel, and it’s the blue dial and blue strap version instead of the khaki green variation popularized by John Mayer. This watch on a rubber strap is decidedly unfussy and signals to others that, while you have an extensive collection of heavy hitters, you’re keeping it casual today. That’s not a bad balance to strike.
3. Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164A-001
Here’s a different take on the Aquanaut. This Travel Time version is slightly more compact at 40.8mm in diameter versus the 5168G’s 42.2mm. It’s also lighter on the wrist thanks to its steel case. It is, of course, also more complicated not only due to the date display but the dual time functionality. The ability to track more than one time zone is a key feature for many given the popularity of GMT, dual time, and world time watches. Here, you have an extra skeletonized hour hand showing the time in a secondary location as well as day/night indicators for both your home zone and wherever you may find yourself in the world. And the coolest part about this watch? That GMT hand hides neatly underneath the hour hand – visible when it’s needed and invisible when it’s not.
4. Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712R-001
Our second Nautilus on the list, and the fourth best-selling Patek on Chrono24, is a bit like the mature older brother to the aforementioned 5711. The steel Nautilus is a sucker for attention and loves the spotlight. Meanwhile, this watch is happy to sit back and exude a quiet confidence. The 5712R takes the sporty Nautilus DNA and adds some extra sophistication with a rose gold case and some extra intellect with complications for the date, moon phase, and power reserve. The watch often comes on a brown alligator leather strap, although we love the bracelet for its well-known comfort and to achieve the full effect of a Genta-designed watch. It’s a warmer interpretation of Genta’s original idea, and it could be the only watch you ever need.
5. Patek Philippe Calatrava 5212A-001
Tired of all the sport watches on this list? Well then, this one’s for you! The 5212A burst onto the scene in 2019 is a fresh take on the Calatrava. You’ll immediately notice the sheer amount of text on the dial for the many sections of the weekly calendar. The font there is handwritten, by the way. You’ll also notice two calendar hands with striking (but not overpowering) red tips. The watch has the warmth of a personal journal while still being a sophisticated machine from arguably the world’s most respected watch manufacturer. The inspiration for this watch apparently came from the 1950s ref. 2512, and much like that watch, the dial here balances a pile of information without feeling stuffed. You may, like us, feel glad to see this watch make the top 5 list. It takes the complications that Patek has built their reputation on but maintains the breathability of the Calatrava family. It’s the best of both worlds, and we like that.
