Patek Philippe Aquanuat ref. 5060A, 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 5060A, is a stainless steel example dating to circa the mid 1990s. The 36mm case shows signs of a light previous polishing and light signs of wear throughout, which is matched with the bezel. Inside, this piece retains its desirable Tritium dial with that attractive anthracite color and deep 'hobnail' pattern found only on early Aquanauts. The dial and handset are both beautifully preserved and remain in seemingly flawless condition. The indices have patinated to an attractive and even tan color, while the handset remains slightly lighter, which is typical on '90s Awuanauts. This example comes fitted to its black 'hobnail'-pattern rubber strap with its correct stainless steel 'butterfly' deployant clasp. Furthermore, this piece has its correct solid caseback — the primary difference between the subsequent Reference 5066A and the 5060A that we have here. This reference is 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.