The New Patek Philippe Cubitus Ref. 5821/1A :
As quickly as upon a time, the establish Patek Philippe was synonymous with the Calatrava, issues, outdated money, class, and sophistication, amongst totally different points. These are components that additionally sort the core of what Patek Philippe is true this second, nevertheless we do moreover reside in a rapidly altering world. The mannequin has been immensely desperate to enchantment itself to youthful clientele in latest occasions, by diversifying from what it did and nonetheless do biggest, robe watches, and into sportier gadgets with an increasing number of bolder design. We’ve seen fairly a number of variations of the Nautilus and Aquanaut come up of late, catalysed by the skyrocketed demand for sports activities actions watches, along with pilot’s watches and casual Calatravas. Perhaps historic previous is repeating itself, for it wasn’t too manner again that the distinctive Nautilus was inducted into the halls of a mannequin that – exterior of the World Wars – had then solely ever made classical gadgets.
Two months previously, Patek Philippe furthered its eternal goal of staying associated whatever the interval, by introducing an all-new assortment that it hopes will secure the hearts of the next expertise: the sporty-elegant Cubitus. The official announcement obtained right here on the once more of clues and teasers that culminated in a leak per week sooner than the discharge. Actually, it’s been a really very long time given that presentation of a model new Patek assortment, the ultimate ones being the Twenty-4, 25 years previously, and the Aquanaut, 27 years previously. Unsurprisingly, emotions have been extreme and opinions have been divided when the curtains have been raised. That’s Patek Philippe in any case and everyone’s obtained completely totally different expectations of the mannequin that’s prolonged been thought-about the enterprise gold regular. Of the three references which have been launched, one stood out as a result of the piece that is clearly going to be primarily probably the most in-demand. Proper right here, we convey you the details and our reliable concepts on the model new Cubitus Ref. 5821/1A in stainless-steel with inexperienced dial.
The Case, Dial and Fingers
By far the most important highlight of the model new Cubitus is its case. Patek Philippe introduces but yet one more fashioned watch, turning into a member of various non-round timepieces inside the catalogue similar to the Nautilus, Aquanaut, Ellipse, Gondolo and Twenty-4 (a number of of it anyway). The case of the Cubitus, merely put, is a sq. with the vertices clipped off. It’s technically an octagon based on the amount sides, nevertheless really, it is lots nearer to a sq.. In a vacuum, it’s a pleasant wanting case. The shape and proportions are good. The squarish case seems to be like further elegant than that of the Nautilus and, importantly, avoids wanting like an antiquated TV set. Ending on the case ground alternates between brushed and polished. It’s nothing groundbreaking nevertheless it is devastatingly environment friendly as a result of the brushed and polished surfaces intensify one another. This extends to the bracelet the place it is brushed with solely the centre hyperlinks and bevels polished. Patek Philippe takes the design, constructing and ending of its circumstances and bracelets very critically and the Cubitus is further proof of this notion.
If the dial seems to be like acquainted, it’s because you’ve seen it on the Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A-014 from 2023. The hour markers are fashioned barely in any other case proper right here nevertheless all of the items else, from the sunburst olive inexperienced dial to the fingers and date present, appears unchanged.
This leads us to the elephant inside the room: the Cubitus seems to be like similar to the Nautilus. For individuals who rounded off the case – primarily probably the most defining part of the Cubitus – ever so barely, you’re once more to the Nautilus. The dearth of originality, invention, and innovation has been the precept criticism levied unto Cubitus. These grievances principally stem from the comparability of the Cubitus to the Nautilus and are, in any case, official. The silver lining proper right here is that there is nothing intrinsically fallacious with the Cubitus itself. The watch and its design look sharp inside the flesh, figuratively and truly, with manufacturing and ending executed to perfection. It’s when you place the Nautilus subsequent to the Cubitus that you simply simply marvel if further may’ve and will’ve been accomplished by Patek.
The Movement
Driving the Cubitus Ref. 5821 is the 212-part, 30-jewel Calibre 26-330 S C. This beautiful new time-and-date movement moreover powers spherical a dozen totally different watches such as a result of the Nautilus Ref. 5811/1G-001, Aquanaut Ref. 5268/200R-010, and the Calatrava Ref. 5226G-001. The highlight of this calibre is its hacking seconds efficiency – certain, you study that correct. Patek Philippe have on no account been concerned with the dearth of hacking seconds in a lot of its actions; this, in distinction to the strict precision necessities of the Patek Philippe Seal. And it’s understandable in the event you think about it. Precise time-setting, proper all the way down to the second, is good to have nevertheless faraway from necessary. Patek Philippe is a mannequin that – at its core – champions standard watchmaking, and hacking seconds merely wasn’t an element once more then. It might be reasoned that the nostalgia and romance of a transferring seconds hand all through time-setting is worth as lots as a result of the precision a hacked seconds hand provides. All that talked about, the Calibre 26-330 S C is fitted with a stop seconds mechanism, perhaps signifying that the mannequin is popping its gaze to the long term.
In the case of movement finissage, necessities keep as extreme as ever. Sure, it’s not 100-watch-a-year-independent-master-watchmaker top quality, nevertheless for an “entry-level” model by a mannequin that does many tens of a whole lot of watches yearly, it is commendable. The plain distinction in ending seen on the Calibre 26-330 S C as compared with totally different Patek calibres has to do with the ground of the gold central rotor. The linear striping proper right here is in stark distinction to the usual spherical waves that accompany the engraved Calatrava cross. This design different – explicit for the Cubitus – enhances the model’s heavy use of traces and angles. Such a shame that the model new Calibre itself isn’t fashioned to match the case, although this is usually a considerably minor gripe. Residing proof: the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo may also be a squarish watch with a spherical movement that has been very well-received. Nonetheless, one can’t help nevertheless keep Patek Philippe to elevated necessities, the place even minor considerations resembling movement kind are scrutinised.
The Aggressive Panorama
It doesn’t take a genius to know that opponents is rife inside the sports activities actions a part of the luxury watch market. On the highest of sports activities actions watch mania just a few years previously, every producer and their moms churned out their very personal interpretation of a sports activities actions watch, along with individuals who would in every other case not have made one had it not been such a easy money seize. Whereas the manic a part of the market has now handed, prices keep extreme for coveted gadgets. It’s not the very best setting for the model new Cubitus to thrive in, nevertheless odds are it’s going to be better than good. The Cubitus is, in any case, a Patek, a progeny of the coveted Nautilus, and a watch of immense top quality. The one issue the mannequin is accountable of is for taking it too protected with this new assortment. There’s moreover the matter of its value; the Cubitus Ref. 5821/1A is priced at CHF35,000, which is an effective bit pricier than its Nautilus equal, the Ref. 5711/1A-014. One can solely speculate that this pricing is true all the way down to inflation and the knowledge that people are eager to pay a premium inside the secondary market. Whereas the Ref. 5821/1A is part of the eternal assortment (i.e. not restricted model), it will be – by far – primarily probably the most needed of the three Cubitus debutants, so depend on to spend some time inside the queue till you’re Frank Lampard.
As far as fashioned sports activities actions watches with built-in bracelets are concerned, few are further evocative than the H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner. The Centre Seconds model is an excellent varied to the Cubitus. Whereas the Cubitus is all about sturdy traces and angles, the Streamliner with its pillow-shaped case and flowing bracelet is all regarding the curves. At ‘merely’ CHF21,900, the watch represents good value. You probably may even take it for a swim (12 ATM water resistance), which is one factor you shouldn’t be doing with the Cubitus (3 ATM water resistance).
For one factor further quirky, look no further than the Bvlgari Octo Finissimo Computerized Sketch. That features a squarish case and a spherical bezel, the Octo Finissimo someway seems to be like far more geometric than the Cubitus. Nonetheless the precept highlight of the Sketch model is its dial, adorned with a movement sketch by Bvlgari’s Product Creation Govt Director, Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani. The Octo Finissimo line is known for the quite a few world data that it has set over the past decade for thinness. Whereas the Sketch hasn’t set any data of its private, it nonetheless is delightfully slender at 6.4 mm thick. Priced at EUR17,800, the Octo Finissimo Computerized Sketch is proscribed to 280 piece in steel and 70 gadgets in rose gold.
Closing Concepts
The Cubitus is a ravishing watch in itself, nevertheless in the meanwhile it is residing inside the shadow of the Nautilus. Critics have (rightly) recognized the dearth of distinction between the Cubitus and the Nautilus, as if the earlier is a spin-off of the latter. Perhaps the Cubitus would’ve been further celebrated if it was designed as a robe watch and obtained right here with a leather-based strap in its place. Regardless, solely time will inform if the Cubitus line has a extreme ceiling for success or merely a extreme floor. Given that further controversial watches from totally different rival producers have found success over time, we’d wager that the Cubitus will in all probability be a-okay. Patek Philippe will merely have to hunt out novel strategies to spice up future Cubitus releases.
