The Patek Philippe Aquanaut reference 5060A, introduced in 1997, is the first Aquanaut: a steel sports watch with a rounded octagonal case, a dial embossed with a grid pattern, and a composite rubber “tropical” strap. It has a screw-down crown, a water resistance of about 120 metres and an automatic movement with a date. Sources describe different case sizes for the first generation, so no size is given here.

Patek launched the Aquanaut as a younger and cheaper sibling to the Nautilus, aimed at a sportier buyer. The octagon bezel echoes the Nautilus, and the strap made it a casual alternative to a steel bracelet.

Collectors regard the 5060A as a historical landmark, the starting point of a line that has become one of Patek’s most successful. The 5060A was replaced by later Aquanaut references, and the Aquanaut remains in production, but the original is not.