One of our favorite watches presented by Patek Philippe at Watches & Wonders 2023 is the new Aquanaut Luce ref. 5261R in 18K rose gold. Despite that, this new watch is an addition to the Luce ladies’ collection, its size and looks make it a perfect unisex watch that can be worn pretty much by anyone. Featuring a practical and easy-to-use Annual Calendar, its iconic design with a rounded octagonal shape is enhanced by the contrast between the polished and satin-brushed finishes and by the blue-gray dial with a matching rubber strap with Aquanaut pattern.
The blue-gray embossed dial with the signature aquanaut pattern features a nice layout that is easy to read and very pleasing to the eyes. The dial features a month indicator at 9 o’clock, the day of the week at 3, the moon phase indicator at 12 o’clock, and a small date aperture at 6 o’clock. The applied Arabic numerals along with the white transfers on the complete calendar provide great readability in a very understated timepiece.
Equipped with a 39.9 mm case in 18K rose gold, the new Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce ref. 5261R is very reminiscent of the vintage Aquanaut reference 5065 since the watch wears on the smaller side. The blue-gray strap matches the dial perfectly and its pattern is also reminiscent of the vintage Aquanaut colored straps.
Turning the watch over reveals the automatic calibre 26‑330 S QA LU powering this watch. The difference between an annual calendar movement and a perpetual calendar is that the latter requires no adjustment during the year, whereas the annual calendar requires only one manual correction per year, at the end of February. This 319-part movement features a 21K gold oscillating weight and provides a power reserve of 45 hours when fully wound.
On the wrist, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut Luce ref. 5261R wears true to its size and perhaps just a tad bit bigger making it a perfect unisex watch regardless it’s intended for ladies as part of the Luce collection. The overall color scheme of the watch is incredible and its look very reminiscent of a 5065 makes it even better. The warm tones of the rose gold case against the blue-gray color of the dial and strap make for a very nice combination.
Sticker Price $61,510 USD. For more info on Patek Philippe click here.
