Critics have sniped that the new Patek Philippe Cubitus is just a squared-off copy of the Nautilus; that the design of the watch is “lazy.” Patek President Thierry Stern seemed to add fuel to the fire by declaring that, “You should not always reinvent everything from zero. Take the best of what you know and improve it,” shortly after its release. As for an expected waitlist for the Cubitus, “It will be the same as the Aquanaut,” Stern has said. “The first year might be a bit difficult for the newcomer to have it, but after that, it will be easier.” Just how much easier remains to be seen.
Celebrity Endorsements
To be sure, watch-loving celebrities including Mark Wahlberg, Mark Zuckerberg, Jay-Z, Michael Jordan, Orlando Bloom, DJ Khaled and soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic have all been spotted sporting the watch, the storied brand’s first new design in 25 years. Jay-Z’s Cubitus is particularly noteworthy, being the first-ever example to sport a Tiffany stamp on the dial, no doubt courtesy of his deal as a brand ambassador for the famed jewelry retailer, which has a long history with Patek. Whether or not you like the looks of the Cubitus, it is certain that where influential celebs like these tread, others will follow.
Collection Details and Pricing
The Cubitus collection consists of three references. Our Patek Philippe Cubitus review examines each variant: Ref. 5821/1A comes in steel with an olive-green dial, admittedly an attractive combo, with a retail price of $41,243; a two-tone gold and steel version with a blue dial lists for $61,276; and a third variant, Ref. 5822P, has a platinum case with a blue dial and a strap instead of a bracelet (the only one in the collection), priced at $88,378.
Response to Critics
Stern has since brushed off criticism of the Cubitus, telling Swiss business publication Bilanz recently, “I’m used to it. It doesn’t bother me. We all get attacked every time we launch something new. The haters are mostly people who have never had a Patek and never will. So that doesn’t bother me. What counts for me is the result. And I’m confident about the Cubitus because I have a good nose and a lot of professionals around me who told me it would work.”
The Nautilus Connection
As for the flak about the Cubitus being a copy of the revered Nautilus Ref. 5711, which Patek puzzlingly discontinued in 2021, apparently because it was the only watch in the Patek Philippe catalog that many buyers were interested in, leaving the rest of its models out in the cold, “The Cubitus is a brother of the Nautilus and the Aquanaut, but it is not a square Nautilus,” Stern clarifies. “It has its own identity. You notice this the longer you see it, the longer you wear it.”
Market Impact and Future Prospects
Perhaps the most telling detail is that prices for the Nautilus Ref. 5711/1A (on the secondary market as the model is discontinued) have been declining. The New York Times reported that as recently as 2021 there was an eye-popping eight-year waitlist for the 5711/1A, with prices for the $33,000 stainless steel timepiece hitting six figures. Note that the entry level Cubitus is priced $10,000 above that.
By this past autumn however, “Prices are declining across nearly every model in the 5711 line,” the paper of record noted, with median peak prices down from $131,500 in 2022 to $89,400 in 2024 – a decrease of over $40,000. If much fewer people are interested in acquiring the legendary 5711, can Cubitus sales really make up the difference? And will Patek’s identity crisis resolve itself into another best-selling luxury watch? Only time will tell….
