Patek Philippe welcomed quite a few firsts to its various collections in Baselworld 2018, notably the first world-time minute repeater in its regular lineup and the first perpetual calendar in its Nautilus series. Another one that garnered quite a bit of buzz, and which we explore in detail today, is the first chronograph in its sportiest and perhaps most accessible family, the Aquanaut. Here’s what you need to know about the new Aquanaut Chronograph ref. 5968A-001.
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Chronograph Ref. 5968A-001
To begin with the exterior, the watch’s steel case, with its hallmark gently-rounded octagonal bezel, measures 42.2 mm in diameter and 11.9 mm thick and features an array of alternating satin and polished finishing on its surfaces and flanks. The screw-down crown, which helps ensure a water-resistance of 120 meters, is embedded between the shoulders of a curving crown protector, which in turn is bordered on each side by two elongated chronograph pushers. The sloping lugs integrate seamlessly into the sporty rubber strap. The steel case has alternating satin-brushed and polished finishes, with two long pushers flanking the crown protector.
The gradated light-to-dark gray dial sports the familiar embossed pattern of the Aquanaut range, with applied Arabic numerals and indices in white gold, with a few notable additions in this new model. These include a large, 60-minute chronograph-counter subdial at 6 o’clock subtly shaped to echo the softly cur...