The party is starting; celebrating half a century for a century-watch as the Genta-designed Patek Philippe Nautilus ref3700 becomes 50y old: 1976 - 2026. And we are queing in to the long line to send our best wishes but not without mentioning that the first 5y were not so bright for the now-icon Nautilus. Too big (only the Jumbo ref3700 was there), too late (AP, VC & IWC had their steel-sportswatches in the market for years already) and much too mechanical (automatic) made it a dead stock.

Sure, it came with an innovative monocoque case-system -- basically a waterproof two-part case, which is sealed by the hinge (left) and a screw (right) hidden in the ears -- but overall it was somehow an anachronism in the late '70s / early '80s. And so different to Pateks back-then top-dog the "Golden Ellipse" (esp ref3738) it simply didnt sell.

And so Patek engaged Gerald Genta once again and he came up with a blend; a mix; a genetic crossbreeding: Nautilus ref3700 + Ellipse ref3738 = Nautillipse ref3770. An electronic slim-lined, sporty luxury-watch that uses the Jumbo Ellipse ref3738 as a base and combined it with the case-system of the Nautilus, thats why the ears.

Both monocoque-cases, the ref3700 and the ref3770 were made by the artisans of Favre Perret (La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland) for Patek. And these are to my knowledge the only two designs Gerald Genta ever made for Patek Philippe and the only two watches at Patek that used the innovative monocoque case-system: Nautilus & Nautillipse.

NB: Interestingly, 1976 & 1978 seem to be the Monocoque-Years at Patek Philippe with the Nautilus ref3700 and the Jumbo Ellipse ref3738 presented and both coming in special monocoque-cases. And with the AP ref5402, the Jumbo and initial Royal Oak that had been designed by Genta, also and being a monocoque, too there was obviously some tendency of the celebrated Maestro towards these practical but most complicated cases.