While the original Patek Philippe Aquanaut first made an appearance in 1997 as a more casual and youthful interpretation of the brand’s classic sports watch, the Aquanaut Luce is a more recent addition, having only just joined the catalog in 2004. While the classic Aquanaut was originally intended to be a men’s model, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce is specifically aimed at women, and the collection offers more compact case profiles, additional colorways, and a number of gem-set references that blur the lines between wristwatches and jewelry. While the original Aquanaut Luce models placed a significant emphasis on their aesthetics, Patek Philippe is fully aware that female buyers also appreciate complications, and over the course of the last several years, an increasing number of advanced Aquanaut Luce models have joined the lineup, including both a quartz Travel Time model and a mechanical chronograph. As part of its latest batch of new releases unveiled this year at Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023, Patek Philippe is expanding the complicated side of the Aquanaut Luce series, and the new Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar reference 5261R-001 brings the brand’s advanced calendar complication to the smaller side of the Aquanaut collection, while simultaneously resisting the urge to include any diamonds or gemstones whatsoever.
Crafted from 18k rose gold, the case of the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar reference 5261R-001 offers the familiar shape and profile that is emblematic of the Aquanaut collection, and it measures 39.9mm in diameter (measured from 10 to 4 o’clock) by 10.94mm-thick, with 21mm lugs and an overall lug-to-lug distance of 47.35mm. Flat sapphire crystals are fitted to both the dial side of the watch and its screw-down display caseback, while a signed winding crown sits at the 3 o’clock location, nestled between the Aquanaut’s signature large integrated crown guards.
Just as you would expect from a Patek Philippe annual calendar wristwatch, a series of small push pieces sit flush around the side of the case, and these are used to set the various different displays for the movement’s annual calendar complication. Due to the presence of the additional push-pieces, water resistance for the new Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar ref. 5261R-001 is significantly less than what exists on the standard time-and-date models, although the watch still offers a depth rating of 30 meters to protect against the unavoidable moisture contact that comes with daily wear and use.
The dial fitted to the new Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar 5261R-001 showcases a blue-gray color and features the Aquanaut’s signature “grenade” pattern embossed into its surface. Applied 18k rose gold Arabic numeral hour markers filled with white luminous material sit along the interior of the minute track, while a rectangular date window (also framed in rose gold) sits at the 6 o’clock location. As the new reference 5261R-001 is an annual calendar, a pair of registers dedicated to the day and month sit on the lower half of the dial, while a moonphase indicator resides at the top, cutting off the lower part of the 12 o’clock marker.
At the center of the dial are a trio of hands, with the hour and minute handcrafted from 18k rose gold with white luminous inlays, while the seconds hand is constructed from Pfinodal (an alloy made from copper, nickel, and tin) and completely finished in white luminous material. Meanwhile, the two smaller hands for the day and month registers are also crafted from 18k rose gold, although just like the centrally mounted seconds hand, the two smaller calendar hands are entirely finished in white luminous material for added contrast against the blue-gray surface of the dial.
Powering the new Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar ref. 5261R-001 is the brand’s in-house Caliber 26-330 S QA LU automatic movement, and just like all annual calendars, the Patek Philippe Cal. 26-330 S QA LU keeps track of the different number of days in each month and only requires adjustment once per year (at the end of February). Consisting of 319 components, the 34-jewel self-winding movement runs a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz), while offering users a power reserve of up to 45 hours when fully wound. In addition to featuring a Gyromax balance wheel with a Silinvar hairspring (which is Patek Philippe’s proprietary silicon alloy), the Patek Philippe Cal. 26-330 S QA LU annual calendar movement is fitted with a centrally-mounted oscillating weight that is crafted from solid 21k gold and signed with the Patek Philippe seal. Lastly, fitted to the lugs of the new Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar ref. 5261R-001 is a blue-gray rubber strap completed by an 18k rose gold folding clasp that matches the color of its dial and features the Aquanaut collection’s signature pattern embossed into its outer surface.
Although the new Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar reference 5261R-001 was specifically designed for women, there is nothing overtly feminine about this model’s design, and I could easily see a number of men also being interested in owning this new compact annual calendar sports watch (including myself). Historically, many watch brands have not offered the same compelling options for women that exist among their men’s models, and all too often, brands opt for stereotypically feminine colors, quartz movements, and diamond-set embellishments whenever they decide to design a watch specifically for women. That said, there are plenty of women out there who have the exact same taste in watches as men, and while they might appreciate a slightly more compact case diameter, they do not want their watches to be dainty objects set with gemstones.
Although Patek Philippe has been expanding its Aquanaut Luce offerings with models that feature more advanced complications, this is the first complex model that does not include a gem-set bezel, and in addition to offering a refreshing break from what is typically associated with the Aquanaut Luce collection, it also helps guarantee a significantly lower price point. At the time of launch, the new Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar ref. 5261R-001 is accompanied by an official retail price of $61,506 USD, which makes it an undeniably expensive watch, although it’s important to note that this is roughly one-third the price of what Patek Philippe charges for the chronograph version of the Aquanaut Luce that features a rainbow colored gem-set bezel. For more information on the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce Annual Calendar ref. 5261R-001, please visit the brand’s website.
