Patek Philippe Aquanaut 36mm Stainless Steel

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Patek Philippe Aquanaut 36mm Stainless Steel

Ref. 5064A-001

The Aquanaut line arrived in 1997 as Patek Philippe's answer to a more casual, sport-oriented market — where the Nautilus had established the cushion-octagon form in fine steel, the Aquanaut reinterpreted it for a younger, less formal context. The 5064A followed a year later as the mid-size companion to the larger mechanical references, and its quartz calibre was a deliberate choice: the E 23 SC is finished to the same internal standards Patek applies across its manufacture, seven jewels and a sweep seconds hand, built for accuracy and low maintenance rather than compromise. At 34mm and just 7.7mm deep, it sits closer to a dress watch in profile than most people expect from a 120m-rated rubber-strap piece — compact enough to disappear under a shirt cuff, light enough to forget on the wrist through a long day. The embossed tapisserie dial and the composite strap share the same geometric texture, which reads as a considered detail rather than a coincidence. That strap is cut to fit the wearer's wrist and resists saltwater and UV without the fading or stiffening that affects most rubber over time.

Reference: 5064A-001
Brand: Patek Philippe
Case size: 36mm
Case thickness: 7.7mm
Case material: Stainless steel
Case shape: Cushion
Dial: Black
Crystal: Sapphire
Movement: Quartz
Calibre: E 23 SC
Functions: Date
Water resistance: 120m
Bracelet / strap: Rubber strap
Strap colour: Black
Clasp: Deployant clasp
Lume: Super-LumiNova
Condition: Pre-owned
Retailer: Goldsmiths

Learn more about Patek Philippe

Antoine Norbert de Patek, a Polish cavalry officer exiled after the November Uprising, founded a watch business in Geneva in 1839 with his countryman François Czapek. The partnership dissolved after six years, and in 1845 Patek took on the French watchmaker Adrien Philippe, inventor of the keyless winding crown. The firm became Patek Philippe in 1851.

That single invention mattered more than any other in the company's early history: it removed the winding key, and every modern watch descends from it. Queen Victoria bought a Patek pendant watch at the Great Exhibition the same year, establishing the royal patronage the house has traded on ever since.

The Stern family, dial manufacturers and long-standing suppliers, bought the company in 1932 during the Depression. Four generations later it remains in their hands — the last independent family-owned manufacture in Geneva, currently led by Thierry Stern.

Patek's reputation rests on complications: the Calibre 89 of 1989 carried thirty-three of them, and the Grandmaster Chime remains among the most complicated wristwatches made. The Nautilus, drawn by Gérald Genta in 1976 as a steel luxury sports watch, became an unlikely commercial phenomenon four decades after launch.

Production stays deliberately modest, in the tens of thousands annually, and every watch carries the Patek Philippe Seal, an in-house standard the company adopted in 2009 after abandoning the Geneva Seal as insufficiently strict.

1839: Antoine Norbert de Patek and François Czapek found the firm in Geneva.
1845: Adrien Philippe joins, bringing the keyless winding crown.
1851: The company is renamed Patek Philippe; Queen Victoria buys a watch.
1932: The Stern family acquires the company.
1976: The Nautilus debuts, designed by Gérald Genta.
2009: The Patek Philippe Seal replaces the Geneva Seal.

Also in 4 collections

This watch appears in Stainless Steel Watches (2,626), Watches Under 37mm (1,382), Pre-Owned, Ex-Display & Vintage Watches (240) and Tonneau & Cushion Watches (155).

2-year Goldsmiths warranty

What the specifications mean

Strengths

120m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
36mm suits most wrists
Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
Luminous hands and markers for low light

Best forSwimmingEveryday wear

Your new watch

Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch

Can I swim with it?

Yes. At 120m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.

Will the glass scratch?

Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.

Does it need a battery?

Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.

Is it a men's or women's watch?

Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.

Cheapest place to buy

Goldsmiths at £32,950, pre-owned. No UK retailer we track lists this reference new.

Is this available new?

Not from the UK retailers we track. This reference is listed as pre-owned only, at £32,950 from Goldsmiths. Goldsmiths test every pre-owned watch for authenticity, timekeeping and water resistance, and warrant it for 2 years — the same term they give on a new watch.

Who are Goldsmiths?

Goldsmiths has been selling watches in Britain since 1778 and is part of the Watches of Switzerland Group, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange. They are an authorised dealer, so a watch comes with the manufacturer’s own warranty.