Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5066J
The Aquanaut was originally introduced in 1997 as the sporty alternative to the famed Nautilus. Characterized by the grenade-style dial and often accompanied by a casual checkered rubber strap, the 5066J is the yellow gold mid-sized variant with an open caseback that displays the Cal 330 SC self-winding movement.
The Aquanaut was originally introduced in 1997 as the sporty alternative to the famed Nautilus. Characterized by the grenade-style dial and often accompanied by a casual checkered rubber strap, the 5066J is the yellow gold mid-sized variant with an open caseback that displays the Cal 330 SC self-winding movement.
The Aquanaut was originally introduced in 1997 as the sporty alternative to the famed Nautilus. Characterized by the grenade-style dial and often accompanied by a casual checkered rubber strap, the 5066J is the yellow gold mid-sized variant with an open caseback that displays the Cal 330 SC self-winding movement.
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This is the Patek Philippe Aquanaut reference 5066J. Founded in 1839, Patek Philippe is a name synonymous with high horology. A company that has always been privately owned, Patek has been manufacturing watches for almost two centuries without interruption. The company is currently owned by the Stern family, whose heritage dates back to when they were supplying dials to Patek in the 1920s.
The first Aquanaut was introduced by the brand in 1997 with the mid-sized 5060A as an offshoot of the highly popular Nautilus collection. Running on a 330SC movement, the very first Aquanaut reference with a closed caseback then gave rise to the aforementioned 5066A which was introduced a year later alongside the battery-powered 5064 and the larger-sized 5065 with open sapphire casebacks that displayed the 330 SC self-winding movements.
With a similar silhouette as the Nautilus, the Aquanaut replaced the integrated bracelet with a tropical rubber strap that was as key to the reference as the design itself. Though a steel bracelet was available, the rubber strap and the grenade-style dial came to characterize the model. Produced over a period of 8 years, the 5066 differs from the 5060 with its open sapphire caseback and later, modern luminous material. Still, the reference 5066 remains the closest to the original Aquanaut that the brand envisioned in terms of proportions.
Though the brand may be well-known for its complicated and dress watches, the attention on Patek Philippe’s sports watches have risen exponentially in popularity. The Aquanaut, since its founding only two decades ago, has been a mainstay in Patek Philippe’s catalogue and is representative of the brand’s first true foray into an accessible sports timepiece.
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This Patek Philippe 5066J is in excellent pre-owned condition with only minimal signs of prior wear. Both the crystal and the dial show no signs of wear. The indices are tritium with warm patina while the hands are luminous, which is common for aquanauts of this period. The case remains in good shape with no dings or dents and the hallmarks are still crisp beneath the lugs. It comes accompanied with a plum Patek Philippe strap that will fit a wrist of up to 6.25” as well as the extract from the archives which dates the watch to 1998. The watch is in full working order.
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Brand Patek Philippe
Model Aquanaut
Reference 5066J
Case 36
Movement Automatic
Case material Yellow Gold
Bracelet material Rubber
Year 1998
Condition Excellent
Accessories Extract from the Archives
Limited No. Discontinued