PATEK PHILIPPE CUBITUS: HOROLOGICAL HIT OR MANUFACTURING MISS?

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Hello, Timelords. Have you not heard the word?

Made famous by the Trashmen (and Peter Griffin in Family Guy) we ain’t talking about the Bird. Oh no…something far more important on every horophile's lips.

Chances are that if you are an avid enthusiast, collector or Patek fanboy, you will be currently scrambling through the internet and the marketplace to get your eyes on the brand new collection from Patek Philippe. Gentlemen, it’s time to rev your Porsche engines and take a very deep breath.

Cubitus is well and truly here before the Christmas frenzy. The first release from this top Swiss luxury watch brand in a quarter of a century, why haven’t you seen anything first from their official website? Simply put, there’s been a leak!

Fortune Magazine is currently one of the biggest magazines out there, with a circulation figure of around 850,000 copies in both print and digital print.

Spotted in the latest magazine release for October/November, an advertisement from the Geneva icons was spotted with an image of the new “Cubitus Collection”, and the classic Patek Philippe tagline: ‘You Never Actually Own A Patek Philippe.

You Merely Take Care Of It For The Next Generation.’ And adjacent to this? A rather cryptic strapline entitled “Begin Your Own Tradition”

So, what do we know so far about the latest release from the Swiss giant that has put Haute Horlogerie on the map since the 1st of May 1839?

Well, here comes the spoiler alert...

Where Were The Patek Philippe Cubitus Watches Leaked?

We know that connoisseurs have a bit of a reputation when it comes to doggedly looking out for secrets and Easter eggs in watches and the marketplace. Need we begin to unravel the vast plethora of Rolex nicknames that are as extensive as the amount of Donald Trump’s lawsuits.

Source - Reddit

This time round, the fault falls on the shoulders of the well respected, Fortune Magazine.

With a global readership of almost five million and in 2023 pulling in around 18.4 million unique monthly visitors, Fortune Magazine is a huge presence in everything luxury and wealthy, including their well-respected annual Fortune 500 list.

In their latest October to November edition, it was found that Patek Philippe had slid in with an advertisement campaign for a new watch.

Exposing the new Patek Philippe Cubitus watches alongside an image and classic slogan, horophiles are in no doubt about the validity of this leak. But, why haven’t they come out and stated the truth about the watches? And when will they be unleashed onto the marketplace?

Well, timing is of the essence as they say.

Defining The New Patek Philippe Cubitus Watches

Well, the last time Patek Philippe released a fresh collection was way back in 1997 under the astonishing Aquanaut line.

Step Back In Time

Given a rounded octagonal case, the Nautilus influence was very strong on the watches. However, people loved it because it came with a tropical strap, grenade style background and offered a younger, more exciting take on the grandfather of sports-chic watches.

The Aquanaut has become the go-to collection for every calibre of person. Whether it’s Beatle legend, Paul McCartney to the Spider-Man legend, Tom Holland, it seems the Aquanaut is one attractive line!

Following its release, it’s become a flagship for the brand, symbolising youthfulness, energy and a very funky aesthetic that many people want on their wrists.

Now, we don't want to use the phrase “copy and paste” but… it appears the Nautilus watch theme has been used again for the Patek Philippe Cubitus line!

Design elements like the horizontal, navy blue shutter-style dial background, and the prominent ears on the side of the case seem all too familiar with the classic Nautilus collection. Thierry Stern, you’ve already sold us with the Nautilus. Why the new rehash?

There are expected to be other dial colours and a simple three-handed watch, but more on that in a tick. However, it’s not all doom and gloom in the Patek Philippe camp.

Crafted out of stainless steel, the pieces err on the side of complexity, with a fabulous moon-phase indicator between 6 and 7 o’clock with integrated day display, and small seconds counter at 4 and 5 o’clock.

Furthermore, they have added a large date aperture underneath 12 o’clock. This statement complication works well with the rest of this nimble new number, including the lume filled baton hour markers and hands.

Furthermore, it’s not too octagonal like the Nautilus design code. Instead, the shape has been industrialised, resulting in a square bezel with angular corners. Sharper and more obtrusive, it does have a number of discernible differences from its predecessor.

How Much Will The Patek Philippe Cubitus Watches Be?

More of a grey area than VAR, this one was very much up for debate as soon as the page of Fortune Magazine was turned.

However, estimates on the market were made before the hoohah that you could buy a Patek Philippe Cubitus at retail in the ballpark of between £30,000 to £50,000.

Generally, this is likely to be in the same price bracket as the Aquanaut line. Hopefully cheaper than the Nautilus, but still offering the horological good stuff, the brand is at least trying to be good to us devoted aficionados…

At least we hope!

Are The Patek Philippe Cubitus Watches An Expected Release?

Well, seemingly a resounding yes as horophiles eyes were firmly transfixed on the home of Oktoberfest.

We’ve done some digging and have found that while it’s not a new watch that anyone really anticipated, it was unveiled at a private event in Munich on October 17th 2024, which simultaneously was the location of the 2013 Patek Philippe Grand Exhibition.

Is The Patek Philippe Cubitus Likely To Be A Popular Collection?

Look, no matter what new timepieces they have released, there will always be a consistent level of demand in the market because they have established themselves as such a significant and important Swiss hitter.

This is due to a number of factors such as brand exclusivity, desirability on the secondary market not to mention the hype surrounding the 5711 Tiffany dial and other models.

That being said, based on the image released in Fortune magazine, the opinions of the public have been mixed to say the least. Some say that the new watches are too much like the Nautilus with its horizontal dial and prominent ears on the case sides.

In addition to this, some across social media have labelled it an Alibaba knock off while others have labelled it something made in China.

Ouch.

However, many have seemed to welcome it with big arms and said it’s simply a matter of time before we get over ourselves and learn to love the fresh watches. After all, it’s sharper design, sweet blue leather strap and complex dial is likely to steal a few tickers!

Thierry Stern has previously shown some camaraderie with the public in an interview back in March 2023 about customer spending habits in the marketplace. He stated; “We have people who are passionate about watches and who can spend a maximum of $30,000 or $40,000 on a watch.”

At the release he had a few choice words for the media, fake news and other clingers on in the room.

Asked by a Bilanz journalist, Iris Kuhn-Spogat about if Thierry Stern sources his designs either through internal or external sources, he responded: “Internally. I don’t go to clients with designs and ask them for their opinion. Never. I don’t work with external designers either. We’ve done that, but it never worked.”

Some bad blood maybe?

Top 20 Patek Philippe Watches

In case the news of the Patek Philippe Cubitus release is something that is giving you an irregular heart-rate, we would like to remind you that there are still a plethora of top watches to buy from the brand that are still in circulation.

We have already written an in-depth article on The Top 20 Most Popular Patek Philippe Watches For Men. But in order to save you all a few precious seconds, we’ll condense it into a very handy table below:

Watches / Material and Dial Colour	Price (Retail As of October 2024)
Nautilus 5811/1G White Gold / Blue	£60,050
Nautilus Travel Time 5990/1A-001 Steel / Grey	£59,040
Nautilus Self-Winding Rose Gold 5712R-001 Rose Gold / Black	£71,350
Aquanaut Travel Time 5164A-001 Steel / Chocolate	Discontinued
Aquanaut 5168G-010 Steel / Green	£42,290
Aquanaut 5167R-001 Yellow Gold / Black	£39,160
Calatrava Pilot Travel Time 5524R-001 Rose Gold / Brown	£49,350
Ref. 5373P-001 Split-Seconds Monopusher Chronograph Platinum / Black	£509,630
Aquanaut Travel Time 5164R-001 Rose Gold / Black	£54,000
Perpetual Calendar Chronograph 5270P-001 Platinum / Salmon	Discontinued
Sky Moon Tourbillon 6002G-001 White Gold / Black	Discontinued
Calatrava 5916J-001 Yellow Gold / White	Discontinued
Nautilus Chronograph 5980G White Gold / Blue	£67,620
Grand Complications 5236P Platinum / Salmon	£121,100
Worldtimer 5330G White Gold / Blue	£65,600
Alarm Travel Time 5520RG Rose Gold / Silver	Request a Price
Aquanaut Travel Time 5164G White Gold / Blue	Request a Price
Quadruple Complication 5308P-010 Platinum / Salmon	Available on with Japan retailers and boutiques
Calatrava Pilot Travel Time Chronograph 5924G White Gold / Blue	£65,100
Calatrava 24-Hour Travel Time 5224R Pink Gold / Blue	£49,350

UPDATE - NEW PATEK PHILIPPE CUBITUS WATCHES REVEALED

“The Cubitus is a brother of the Nautilus and the Aquanaut, but it is not a square Nautilus; it has its own identity. You notice this the longer you see it, the longer you wear it.”

Thierry Stern when asked by Bilanz journalist Iris Kuhn-Spogat if the Cubitus is the Nautilus’s twin

As Old Blue Eyes himself declared…start spreading the news!

Available through authorised retailers from October 18th 2024, The Patek Philippe Cubitus has arrived in a storm of styles and materials! After the big reveal in Munich, where do we even begin to regale you with these pieces?

Covering three different models and materials, the watches are available in stainless steel, platinum, two-tone stainless steel and rose gold. Across all of the models, the distinctive squared case shape is given a very slight design, and promoted via the polished and vertical satin-brushed finishes.

The dials are given the classic horizontal embossed pattern alongside readable baton hour markers and hands. In terms of complications, the designs are, as expected, either complicated, or a simple three handed design.

As MC Hammer formerly said in 1990…break it down.

Patek Philippe Reference 5822P-001

This is perhaps the most luxurious piece in the line.

Source - Patek Philippe

Boasting a stunning platinum case alongside a low-key navy blue dial, watch lovers are in for a treat. Trust this ain’t no trick. But if you want to buy a scaringly excellent novelty, check out our best watches for Halloween.

Focusing on the face for a minute and it is given a plethora of high quality complications, including a moon-phase to a grand date while being powered by the self-winding 240 PS CI J LU calibre.

The pieces may appear cramped to some horophiles, but we completely love the fact they’ve indulged us with the complexity of a moon-phase, alongside a large date and small seconds counter.

General timekeeping is still very easy, especially since the self-winding calibre ensures a hardy 21,600VpH and a fairly long lasting 48 hour power reserve.

Materials	Platinum
Strap	Blue fabric
Colour	Navy Blue
Complications	Moon-phase, day, large date, small seconds, general timekeeping
Calibre	240 PS CI J LU
Power Reserve	48 hours
Diameter	45mm
Thickness	9.6mm
Water Resistance	30 metres
Price at retail (as of October 2024)	£75,690

Reference 5821/1AR-001

The 5821/1AR is the money pincher's way of getting their hands on a precious metal timepiece.

Source - Patek Philippe

By fusing rose gold and steel together, the price, as opposed to a solid precious metal piece, is drastically reduced, allowing you to get the showy rose gold bezel and inner bracelet links, alongside the durability of solid steel case sides and bracelet.

The face is clean, leaving just the baton hands and hour markers to read the time, and a simple date aperture at 3 o’clock.

This is one of Patek Philippe’s ultra-dressy and understated models. Be it the brushed rose gold bezel to the emblematic navy blue face, we can see this becoming a popular watch among the CEO’s among us.

Materials	Steel and Rose Gold
Strap	Steel and rose gold bracelet
Colour	Navy Blue
Complications	General timekeeping and date
Calibre	26-330 S C
Power Reserve	45 hours
Diameter	45mm
Thickness	8.3mm
Water Resistance	30 metres
Price at retail (as of October 2024)	£52,480

Reference 5821/1A-001

This is the most affordable model on the list… if you can use such a word!

Source - Patek Philippe

Still classified as expensive, this entirely steel timepiece will be popular among the ardent, classic steel sports-watch fans. Sure we can wax lyrical about the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak or Rolex Daytona like Lionel Richie…

All Night Long.

Nonetheless, it finds its unique charm in the form of a different dial colour from the rest. Opposing the moody blues of reference 5822P and the 5821/1AR, this comes in a subtle, olive green. Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Tourbillon anyone?

This is a sterling model for the discerning gent that in our humble view can transcend all manner of special occasions. Its open face, no holds barred, fuss free approach with just the hour markers, date aperture and hands ensures a subtle look that can be flexed across the mahogany board table or outside the sauna.

What exactly are we talking about? Mark Wahlberg of course who is the first celebrity wearer of the Cubitus. You just know he had to get in on the act. Don’t believe us? Have a look at this exclusive clip where he credits this majestic green dial number and proclaims;

“Can’t wear the Cubitus in there..no, no no.”

Greensleeves

Boasting the timepiece just days after its initial release, he was spotted flexing the timepiece via his social media. Kicking back in a sauna, he wears the green-dialled beauty with a big old grin. We wouldn’t even dream of wearing that beauty in those conditions!

From Transformers to Daddy’s Home, Mark Wahlberg is something of a big deal in Hollywood. That probably explains why he’s flexing this piece, literally days after its release. For a man with forearms the size of grapefruits, the watch looks effortless and blends in with his easy-living lifestyle.

Materials	Steel
Strap	Steel bracelet
Colour	Dark Green
Complications	General timekeeping and date
Calibre	26-330 S C
Power Reserve	45 hours
Diameter	45mm
Thickness	8.3mm
Water Resistance	30 metres
Price at retail (as of October 2024)	£35,330

Conclusion

Time’s up again I am afraid!

We hope we’ve given you a rigorous run down on the new Cubitus, its features, details and when we expect the public to get its first sniff or wrist check. Though Mark Wahlberg beat us to it again.

Thierry Stern has presented us with another lineup that to some may be more off the wall than Michael Jackson. Nevertheless, he has kept his status as the man of controversy, alive and ticking you might say!

The Holy Trinity member is well stacked with this new collection, and we can see a lot of people flocking to the lineup as the models are slowly released to the public.

With its bulky case sizing up to 45mm, this may be treading on Panerai territory. But it does pose something of a Goliath scenario to the Aquanaut and Nautilus lines.

However, we are more than comfortable with the rich dial colours, choice of materials from the luxury platinum to two-tone, alongside solid calibres that keep the pieces in check.

But, these are not cheap. With Stern talking about offering buyers a cheaper alternative and his claims of understanding his fan-base, these watches certainly do not offer entry-level prices to the Patek Philippe roster.

Either way, The Cubitus has done its job as being a big marketing winner much on par with the Moonswatch…at a bigger premium. Thousands of fans will likely be emptying their pockets for a taste, and getting your hands on one may prove to be a challenge.

From first glances, the Patek Philippe Cubitus is not something that we should recoil at. It takes inspiration from the Nautilus and will definitely be a hot new seller. Since their release, expect them to start flooding the secondary market.

Although nearly 9 in 10 watches sold globally are round (apparently according to Monsieur Stern), this square number is perhaps their answer to the TAG Heuer Monaco but slinkier. The green dial will no doubt have many clamouring for its desirable dial.

For now, we expect this piece to be sported at many glitzy events from the Emmys to The Golden Globes. Seriously, it may have been a long wait but Thierry Stern has aligned the stars again in capturing collectors and enthusiasts attention.

The pricing may put some off, especially for the platinum version with calendar function tipping the fiscal scales at more than $88,000. However, from bracelet to calibre, what looks already like a part of the brand’s lineup, should be another hit over time.

As Sly and The Family Stone sung about in 1971, It’s A Family Affair.

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