Patek Philippe Aquanuat ref. 4960A, 'Ladies' Tritium Dial

Dealer description — Oliver & Clarke

The first Aquanaut was officially launched in 1997 and paid tribute to its older brother, the Nautilus, by way of its overall sporting appearance, and its bezel shape — and thats about it. Gone were the porthole-style 'ears' and in with more traditional lugs — allowing for a more conventional (and versatile) wearing experience. Being the 1990s, many of the first References utilized Tritium on their dials for a number of years, extending into the early 2000s, and they are already and will continue to age beautifully in the years to come. Neo-vintage charm at its finest! The Aquanaut that we have here, a Reference 4960A, is a stainless steel example dating to circa the late 1990s intended to be the first 'ladies' Aquanaut. It features a 30mm stainless steel case, which preserves the wonderful proportions of both the regular and 'Jumbo' models from this era. Inside, this piece also utilizes an anthracite 'hobnail' dial with Tritium plots and a matching handset, which thankfully, this piece retains. This example comes fitted to its black 'hobnail'-pattern rubber strap with its correct stainless steel 'butterfly' deployant clasp, as well as an additional navy blue rubber strap and its correct stainless bracelet with articulating links and a signed hidden clasp. Early Aquanauts are a favorite for a few of us over here at HQ, and we think, a perfect 'elevated' daily driver that can be worn by virtually anyone and on a wide variety of straps. This 'ladies' model put a smile on everyones face here, and we hope that will extend to you or someone close!