Patek Philippe’s New Collection Just Rocked the Watch World. Here’s Why
Here’s what you need to know about Patek Philippe Cubitus Collection, the first new watch line from the esteemed watchmaker to drop in over a quarter of a century.
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Patek Philippe is widely considered one of, if not the most prestigious watchmakers on earth. The company also hadn’t released a new line – or collection in watch speak – in over a quarter of a century until this week.
How both statements can be true will confuse, if not melt, the minds of anyone who doesn’t follow the watch world closely.
But the juxtaposition also gets to the core of why the launch of the brand’s new Cubitus Collection immediately ranks as one of, if not the single biggest, watch releases of 2024.
Why Is the Patek Philippe Cubitus Collection Such a Big Deal?
The new Patek Philippe Cubitus collection consists of three new modelsPatek Philippe
I could tell you that the surface-level facts surrounding the collection are fairly straightforward, but I’d be lying.
That’s because, as with most Patek Philippe releases, all three models are imbued with horological details, design easter eggs, and historical throughlines that will fuel discussions of awe and derision among watch fans for decades.
However, before wading into the nittier and sometimes grittier implications of the line’s launch, it’s helpful to touch on a few important, high-level details to better set the stage.
The Patek Philipe Cubitus collection is the first new collection from the brand in 25 years.
The Cubitus line includes three different models that each boast key differences.
The entry level version is made from steel, and another two-tone option is made from steel and rose gold. The most expensive version is made from platinum.
The most interesting watch in the Cubitus line from a watch design standpoint is the reference 5822P, which is also the most expensive and complicated version of the watch. It’s made of platinum and features a brand new complication and display for Patek Philippe – a grande date window, which is designed to appear as if it changes instantaneously.Patek Philippe
All the watches feature a new squarish case design that, while unique in shape for the company, is a clear aesthetic homage to the brand’s most popular and recognizable watch line, not to mention one of the most iconic watches of all time – the Nautilus.
The Cubitus collection’s horizontally embossed blue and green dial colors also closely resemble the dials of some of the most popular versions of the famed Nautilus, one of which was shockingly discontinued from production in October of 2022.
The Cubitus collection is positioned as a new “entry-level” offering. According to Ben Clymer at Hodinkee, the company’s president, Thierry Stern, has stated he will ask Patek retailers to allocate the collection to new, younger clients. The price of the cheapest model still starts at just above $41,000.
Those hoping this new line would make buying a Patek easier due to an increase in supply will be disappointed but likely unsurprised to learn that the collection’s introduction will not impact the number of watches Patek makes or sells in a year. All are technically available at retail locations though starting today, Friday, October 18th.
Why Are Steel Patek Philippe Watches Such a Contentious Topic Today?
The simplest and lowest-priced model in the collection will undoubtedly go down as the most covetable entry in the series, and that reality has nothing to do with price.
The Cubitus collection’s horizontally embossed blue and green dial colors closely resemble the dials of some of the most popular versions of Patek Philippe’s famed Nautilus.Patek Philippe
Given the ubiquity and affordability of stainless steel as a material, stainless steel watches are easier to make, meaning more of them are available for purchase, at least relative to other versions of the same watch made in more precious metals.
This position hasn’t exactly landed well with buyers who’ve spent years sitting on waiting lists, patiently hoping for a shot at buying new stainless steel Patek Philippe sports watch.
In February of 2021, Patek Philippe proved it was willing to actively push back against the surging popularity of its stainless steel models by discontinuing its flagship stainless steel watch, the Nautilus ref. 5711. Patek Philippe
Entire dissertations on luxury business practices could be written on this choice by the brand, and its impact on the watch industry as a whole.
The short and simplistic context I’ll provide here is this. It’s tempting to cynically dismiss Patek’s stance as a go-to move in the luxury playbook that goes something like this.
Step 1. Keep supply low on high-margin items to juice demand by creating the cache of exclusivity.
Step 2: Use the cache of exclusivity to support setting higher price points for what might normally be seen as an unremarkable product.
Step 3. Reap high profits on the limited inventory you do make. Also, endear yourself with a subset of powerful and influential customers who are given the privilege of buying the limited good directly because what they’ve acquired is instantly worth more than they paid for it. Rinse and repeat.
The integrated H-link bracelet included with the Cubitus line closely resembles the bracelet of the classic Nautilus.Patek Philippe
But there are also common sense business reasons – echoed directly by Patek Philippe’s leadership – which do a better job of explaining, at least in part, why Patek Philippe hasn’t started making more steel watches.
For a luxury watchmaker that has historically produced timepieces made from precious metals like gold and platinum, having your “cheapest” models become the most coveted items in your product line presents a clear long-term business danger.
After all, who would want to pay a premium for a watch made of fine materials if they could easily buy a cheaper version and get the same, if not more cache and value?
Patek Philippe has a long track record of releasing watches with unconventional and more contemporary design details. A recent example launched earlier this year was the Nautlius ref 5980/60G that comes with a calfskin leather strap that’s been embossed with a denim pattern. Photo by Jack Seemer
Furthermore, what about collectors who purchased more expensive versions of watches made from precious metals? How should they feel seeing the premium watches they’ve bought surpassed in value by cheaper iterations on the secondary market? Do you think they’d be more inclined to buy another watch in the future after going through that?
As many experts who follow Patek closely have noted, including Ben Clymer, the company has also backed its talk of looking after long-term business interests by walking the walk.
How Is the Watch Community Reacting to the Cubitus Collection Initially?
Given how fresh this news is, it’s impossible to gauge the Cubitus line’s reception among watch enthusiasts comprehensively. And in the watch world, as with most things, opinions can often shift, in some cases dramatically, as time passes.
As Ben Clymer and other watch experts have noted too, both the Nautilus and Patek Philippe’s other now iconic sports watch, the Aquanaut, both at one point represented substantial departures from the haute horology Patek was known for. Neither model was overnight hits in sales or community reception either.
Patek Philippe
Anyone familiar with the unwritten laws of the internet also shouldn’t be surprised to know that the harshest voices are often the loudest. As such, many early comments about the Cubitus line on platforms like Reddit, Instagram, Watchuseek, and elsewhere are skewing negative.
The critical feedback falls into a few main buckets. Many dislike that the watch is square, which isn’t surprising – round watches are the default for a reason.
A subset of this group is also bothered that Patek failed to shape the watch’s movement to align with the aesthetics of the square case, viewing it as an example of design corner cutting.
Some in the watch community are critical of the fact that Patek failed to shape the watch’s movement to align with the aesthetics of the square case.Patek Philippe
Some find the new movement underwhelming for a brand widely known for crafting intricate and elaborate “grand complications,” including perpetual calendar watches.
Others are put off by how strongly it riffs on Nautilus’s aesthetics, likening the result to a cheap knock-off.
Of course, there are plenty of other fans out there expressing their interest and intrigue interspersed with these pot shots.
My Initial Take, FWIW
Patek Philippe
I like and appreciate watches but don’t obsess over them like I do other things. Thanks to the demands of this job, I also have more than a cursory knowledge of the industry. I’m by no means a watch historian or horological expert, though. And I have no personal connection to Patek as a brand. So feel free to apply that context however you will.
Personally, I’m into the Cubitus 5821/1A, a.k.a. the baseline green-dialed version, and am curious to see future iterations in different dial colors. I’d like the 5821/1AR Cubitus even more if it wasn’t two-toned. Based on the pictures I’ve seen, I also wish the bezels were thinner and more proportional.
How even the most affordable Cubitus compares to other watches one could theoretically purchase for $41,240 would require some deeper thought.
Patek Philippe
I also can also understand why many would find it immediately off putting. Any change is tough to process. And it doesn’t help that the Cubitus line will be saddled with the emotional baggage, fair or not, of replacing a beloved steel watch like the 5711 in the minds of some.
As a fan of technology though, I can’t separate the launch of the Cubitus collection from the backdrop of the rise of smartwatches, and the Apple Watch in particular.
As a fan of technology though, I can’t separate the launch of the Cubitus collection from the backdrop of the rise of smartwatches, and the Apple Watch in particular.
It’s blasphemous I know to some to even associate such disposal gadgets with the mix of luxury and mechanical engineering that is a Swiss timepiece, let alone one made by Patek Philippe.
But it feels like there’s an obvious connection there that I don’t see many of the watch experts discussing, at least in great depth. Part of me wonders how much it just reflects a difference of habit.
While I do own a few great mechanical watches that I love, I along with millions of others nowadays, wear a squarish Apple Watch on my wrist most often, and as a result, have grown used to the form factor of a rectangular timepiece with rounded edges. As such, I’ve grown desensitized to what I once would have certainly seen as an oddball form factor. In a weird way and somewhat sad way, my sensibilities around what constitutes a “normal” looking watch have started to flip.
Beyond the dial, the “wings” of the Cubitus are the strongest design call back to the Patek Philippe NautilusPatek Phillipe
The Cubitus Collection also isn’t even the first major watch release this year to lean into the square shape. Back in May, another famed brand beloved for steel sports watches, Audemars Piguet unveiled the [RE]MASTER02, an arguably even more avant-guard looking timepiece for a priced at $47,200.
This isn’t to suggest that squarish watches are suddenly coming back purely in response to the Apple Watch. Several iconic timepieces, including the JLC Reverso and Cartier Tank, proved that less traditional watch form factors could be appealing long before Apple even existed.
But given the new ubiquity of the shape, combined with Patek’s stated goal of positioning the Cubitus Collection as a fresh “entry-level” offering aimed at reaching a new and presumably younger customer base, who’ve spent more of their lives staring at square and rectangular devices with smoothly curved corners than the well-proportioned curves of a watch like the Nautilus, I won’t be surprised at all if the Cubitus Collection serves as a familiar-feeling and attractive stepping stone into the world of haute horology for a new generation, just as Patek hopes.
Philippe Cubitus Watch Model Specs and Details
Patek Philippe
Patek Philippe Cubitus Reference 5821/1A
Specs
Dial
Sunburst olive green, horizontally embossed, white gold applied hour markers with white luminescent coating.
Movement
Self-winding mechanical movement. Caliber 26‑330 S C. Date in an aperture. Sweep seconds.
Case Material
Steel
Case Diameter
45 mm
Case Height
8.3 mm
Water Resistance
30 m
Bracelet
Steel. Patented fold-over clasp with lockable adjustment system.
