patekova
1529
Having spent some wrist time with each of the 3 Cubitus models this is how I feel about Cubitus generally and each model specifically:
I very much appreciate that Thierry and Patek ventured to add a new line and to be daring and unpredictable. While historically rectangles, squares and other shaped watches were once extremely popular those days are long gone. Personally, I love vintage rectangular Pateks, especially with the 9. 90 rectangular movement. I also love some of the more interesting square Pateks, which by the way had round movements. So I welcomed the idea of a square modern sports Patek. While it is loaded with the Nautilus DNA, it is also a markedly different design and deserves having a distinct name. I also like that it has a squared, separately designed box. It deserves that and historically it follows what was done when the (3700) Nautilus was introduced and delivered with a square cork Nautilus designated box. (Interesting that those boxes are collectible in and of themselves with fine examples selling for $10K+ USD.)
1) 5821/1A-001 - Having a small wrist 16.5 cm / 6 1/2 inches, I thought it quite likely the watch would overwhelm my wrist and be uncomfortable to wear. I was wrong on both counts. I found it to be extremely comfortable to wear and loved how the bracelet hugged the wrist in the most unobtrusive and delightful way.But, I was extremely disappointed by the color of the dial. In the metal instead of being a vibrant, rich green (eg like the khaki green dial of the 5168G), it was dull and dark (appearing almost black depending on the light and angle) and uninspiring. A green dial should appear to be green no matter the angle. What a disappointment! My recommendation to Patek is if they want to appeal to a youthful segment the color of the dial should be striking, rich and simply colorful. Maybe it should be that way for any buyer no matter the age, for a sporty watch like this. Or do a black dial. That would work too. The dial is the face of the watch and it should draw people in - not turn them away from being bland and frankly, just plain boring. I knew from experience I would have to see the watch in person to know what the color really looked like and how I felt about it. Had the dial been more appealing I would have wanted to buy this watch. Maybe future versions will have a dial color/hue that I will find irresistible. I hope so. The platinum is a beautiful example of the difference the color can make.
2) 5821/1AR-001 - Surprisingky, I found this to be somewhat more appealing than the all steel. A blue dial works really well with a RG/SS combination (like in 5980/1AR). But again, the dial color for me needed to be a brighter, richer and more vibrant blue. So it was quite good, but it could have been amazing. And so last but certainly not least is ….
3) 5822P-001.- Now this blue dial stands out in the most positive way. The hue, color, and intensity of this vibrant dial is great. Plus it has a whole new movement and functionality. I don’t ever recall a Patek moonphase watch with the days of the week rather than the date around the moon. Very creative, innovative and appealing. Using platinum on this mid level complication and utilizing a strap was daring and brilliant. Then there’s the big date and instantaneous change of the date, moon and day functions. Very special! The watch has heft and presence. Not sure about it being for me, because of the heft (weight, thickness and how it sits on my small wrist), but this is easily the winner in my book of the current three versions.
I want to add perhaps my most important observation and recommendation. Before you form any final opinion on Cubitus, whether positive or negative I suggest you see it in person and try it on. You just might be surprised.
Best, Patekova
Hi 👋 All, thanks for all your comments (positive, negative and anywhere in between) on Cubitus which
spurred me, with support from knowledgeable Patek collectors, to perform research on how I think the Cubitus came about and its implications This post is intended for sharing with members some historical perspectives of the developments of the Aquanaut an...
Nice write up
IMO it looks ginormous, that being said I like smaller watches. I was not a buyer of this or nautilus, not my style.
Thank you, Gordon, for this
highly interesting post, including reminding more knowledgeable readers of Neptune and Sculpture, of which I either have been ignorant of or which I forgot quickly after having set eyes on originally. The question remains, for me, though: If Mr. Stern set...
There are many „open“ questions that people, watch and brand enthusiasts, „conaisseurs“, want to ansers themselves …
However „Thierry“ already gave us the answers. And they are straight forward! Apparently he himself is responsible for the design (sic), it was not fruitful to work with partners. Ok. Maybe he was not aware anymore that his best ever modern design was fro...
Hi Markus, Thanks for your comments. Apparently Thierry and
3 others worked on the design. His grandfather (I think) is the one who partnered with G Genta. His father took the Nautilus DNA and created Aquanaut which, to me, has the same case as the Nautilus, except for the ears. This time, Thierry has pushed the c...
Sorry, appreciate your comment, but I am not convinced at all by the design!
Ps: the Aquanaut has not at all the same case. It is a totally different construction! That‘s why it has no ears, they are not needed here!
Hi Marc, glad that you enjoyed the post !
To your question, my thinking is that Aquanaut has the same case as Nautilus except the ears. It differs in dial and rubber strap. Cubitus is quite different in terms of the shape of the case but has same bracelet. IMO, this truly octagon shape is a bit d...
Comprehensive write up and analysis 🧐
The only issue I have with this release is the price…if this was suppose to be the new “sports” entry watch, $40k for a SS watch is priced way above entry level. I guess Calatrava is the new entry level for Patek…
Thank you Patekfinity for your kind words !
Agreed, Calatrava in gold is now the entry level
Thank you for the educational
and very thorough post. Appreciate your research. Nothing about this watch compels me. That being said I am happy that many are fond of it. I’m sure they will be quite pleased owning and wearing it.
Gordon thank you for your extremely interesting and scholarly presentation on Cubitus, including an historical perspective that makes
Cubitus seem not so surprising after all. I found it particularly illuminating how Aquanaut, Neptune, even Sculpture and now Cubitus reflect a decades long effort by Patek to create offshoots and alternatives to Nautilus. (Reminds me a bit of a decades ol...
Thank you Patekova for your kind comments and
additional information ! Which Cubitus do you like most and why ?
PP lost their way when…
…they started making dress watches with crown horns. I owned a wonderful Ref. 5130 but sold it because I felt the crown horns were an insult to an otherwise elegant watch (well, the push button was wobbly and provided a poor impression when pressing it, i...
Interesting comments you made !
I have the 5131 set and did not feel that the push button was wobby. If you do not like the crown guard, you should check out 5230 without the grown guard.
The ad here in Manila doesn't have it yet, Cubitus. 😉
I want to see it in the metal. Before I pass my opinion. Dear Gordon. Geross.
A valuable and objective post👏🏽.
Gordon, I am interested to understand more of your sentiment about the Cubitus as an awaited new release from a storied brand. Because you mentioned your negative reaction to the Code 11.59, which I see as a comparatively ‘brave’ and innovative new releas...
Thanks ArmisT for your encouragement !
My difference in sentiment between the Cubitus and Code are due to several factors, 1) my Patek collection is more than AP and hence my understanding of each of the brand is not equal, 2) when Code first came out, I did not own any AP at that point and my...
Your first picture says it all
It's not big, it's huge. Micheal Jordan seems to already own one, that's definitely the right wrist.
The size might not be
suitable for many. Interesting to read feedback from Patekova below on this point. Have you tried it in the metal ?
Gordan thanks for such an eloquent write up on the evolution of Patek's models and your take on the Cubitus.
Very interesting information on the Neptune and Sculpture as well as other square watches produced by Patek in the past. It is a pity that Patek did not produce more of the Neptune and Sculpture models as I also find them quite iconic. I found your analys...
"Neutral and objective" made me
chuckle. A case is being made here for Mr. Stern and his design decisions. Informative, elaborate, yes. Subtle, maybe. Neutral, objective, no. According to my reading. Cheers Marc
Glad you had a good read Huei ! Your comment regarding square
movement resonates with many others. Personally I wish not for a square but for an octagon movement if possible !
It’s marvellous
This is a very exciting add on collection to Patek Philippe given to the younger generation to own a piece which very elegant and sporty versatile watch. Try the watch on wrist, although is 45mm but sitting very nice and amazing. The finishing of the watc...
A warm welcome to our forum ! How
long have you seen reading on WPS ? Wish you get an allocation soon !😃 Are you the younger generation of collectors that Cubitus is focused on ?
Excellent write-up
The superb Aquanaut 5167 is the third mainline iteration of the Aquanaut, evolving from the smaller 5060 and 5065. If we place the Aquanuat timeline on the Cubitus, we're still in 1997. The sheer size of the Cubitus is notable though. Combined with the sq...
Thanks for the great read which expanded my knowledge of the brand. I didn't even know about some of these references. When it comes to design there is the type that is instantly
likable and the type that needs to grow on you over time. To me this new watch might be in the second category. It's certainly not in the first. Part of it is the size which is pretty massive. This bucks trends and will exclude lots of folks but the same ...
Glad that you expanded your understanding of the brand !
If you have not seen it in the metal, please share your thoughts after putting one on your wrist.
Having spent some wrist time with each of the 3 Cubitus models this is how I feel about Cubitus generally and each model specifically:
I very much appreciate that Thierry and Patek ventured to add a new line and to be daring and unpredictable. While historically rectangles, squares and other shaped watches were once extremely popular those days are long gone. Personally, I love vintage r...
Thank you Patekova for your comprehensive feedback !
Given your deep knowledge of Patek, your comments are always highly appreciated.
Well done…
Especially on reminding me of the 5085/1a. That was a great watch to my eyes - it’s only grown on me over the years…I should hunt one down 😜 Have to admit I’m still not quite convinced by the initial crop of Cubitī (it’s a second declension noun!); just t...
Platinum looks good on you
Thank you for another informative article. Patek coming out with this totally unexpected shape is acceptable for me. If it comes out with something similar to Nautilus or Aquanaut, there would still be strong criticisms anyway…probably saying Patek can’t ...
Thanks cbb for your kind comments ! Happy that the Patek community
is able to help you think from different angles for your collection
Thank you for the excellent review, Gordon.
I have seen and tried 5821/1A green dial in metal. To me, the name "Cubitus" has already explained the new collection line, which is a cube shaped Nautilus. I do like square or rectangular watch, especially a thin one. The size of Cubitus is indeed a bit ...
Hi Henry, you need to see the Cubitus 1AR in the metal ! The blue dial is amazing !
Please keep us informed and hopefully you will become the first member to have a Cubitus ! Looking forward to seeing your wrist shots soon !
What a comprehensive post! Thank you so much.
The Cubitus line of watches has more to come and I look forward to more variations (size, complication, material, etc...)
Cubitus on a larger wrist
Thanks for the article... Indeed Patek has like other done square watches in the past .... Here are some pics of the Cubitus on a large / larger wrist than yours. Now that i have seen it ... i m staying team Nautilus ...
well ...
As said i have seen and tried the Cubitus, and i believe it is not as nice as the original nautilus drawing. Looks big even for me Bit lazy as such, so for the moment i m still voting for the Nautilus ( waiting for one ) and will not change for a cubitus....
.
Thanks for the post. I tried all three models on yesterday. I have a large wrist. Not for me, they’re bigger than the photos suggest. Not elegant, big flat bezel, and the 5822P’s dial design is awkward and revealing of not having a movement designed for i...
Thanks for this post
I finally managed to try the cubitus.. the 1AR version.. I didn’t like how it looked on my wrist - was way too big.. Perhaps a smaller size would look better
Thanks Yming for weighing in !
The size is an issue for many. Let’s see when smaller sizes might be released. Perhaps for W&W in 2025 ? If smaller size, which one would you want ?
I am actually not too convinced
a smaller size would work better for this design I suspect the vertical and horizontal dial dimensions of the dial (eg measuring just the crystal from 12 to 6 and 9 to 3) is the same between the nautilus and cubitus.. you can see the date window of the 1A...
Great write up, thanks
I like the 5821/1A - 001 and 5821/1AR - 001. I decided to ask for a 5821/1A-001 as I own a 5980/1AR-001 I think they could have done better by incorporating Grand date to all models and not only to the 5822P
Thanks for weighing in ! The 1A will
complement your 5980/1AR well. What do you like about the Cubitus ? Please show photos of double-wristed when you receive the watch.
Thank you for the post. The information regarding the sculpture is very fresh for me. Never heard of it.
As for Cubitus… can’t understand the fuss around it. Looks like a regular PP product not better or worse than the rest (didn’t try in metal, so can judge only by the photos/videos). The only real drawback is that they don’t use a square movement. But for ...
Glad that you enjoyed reading about the Sculpture !
Would you want to hunt one down ? Also, please comment once you have had an opportunity to see Cubitus in the metal.
If you do not like date windows, then a good match for you
would be a WorldTimer. My 5131P with a spiced up strap which my wife disapproves🤣 Patek 5131P ...
Maybe I get the platinum version with a matching strap and an enamel dial one day:)
But so far it is quite out of reach for me.
Tried all 3 references on and liked the steel the best...
My wrist is about 16.5cm just for reference. I did not care for the Cubitus at all when I saw photos upon release but I changed my mind while handling one. It's sits so nicely on the wrist and there's a lot to take in visually even for a simple 3 hander. ...
Thanks for your comments. In the photo, this piece looks like a
blue dial ! Must be the lighting, otherwise you have a unique Cubitus !
I went back to an AD to take a
second look 👀 of the AR The color scheme is lovely 😊 ...
While i understand the logic behind the Cubitus…
…and I applaud Patek for pushing innovation and trying to widen its target demographs, it’s not my cup of tea personally. I might have a different opinion if my wrist size had more real estate to support it, however. But the other thing that bugs me about...
Thanks psychotic for
a well thought through reply ! The next version of Cubitus apparently should be smaller and might fit you better ! Let's wait and see ! Which of the three do you like most ?
