A new collection after 25 years

patek philippe Cubitus collection ⓒ hodinkee.com

Cubitus is a new collection that has appeared for the first time in 25 years since the release of the rectangular case ladies' watch Twenty-4 in 1999. The new collection, Which pursues the concept of Elegant Sporty, Inherits the flow and details of Nautilus, The most popular line from Patek Philippe. Its most notable feature is the square case, And a total of three watches have been unveiled, Including variations in case materials.

First Impressions

The meaning of Cubitus has not been clearly stated by Patek Philippe, But it is a medical term derived from the Latin 'Cubitum'. Cubitus, Which means elbow, Seems to refer to the details at the corners of the case. The rounded corners of the square bezel create a silhouette similar to a slightly bent elbow. According to foreign articles, The name Cubitus was already trademarked by Patek Philippe in 2021.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Rectangular
Ref. 6005SA 1979 ⓒ wynnandthayne

To be honest, My first impression is that it feels similar to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Ref. 6005 with a rectangular case from the 1970s and 1980s. This is not surprising, Since the designer of both the Royal Oak and Nautilus is Gerald Genta. Because Nautilus is a variation with an octagonal bezel and dial closer to a circle, Similarities are inevitable. Both models feature an integrated bracelet that connects seamlessly to the case, Making the resemblance even more pronounced.

Diversity of Case Shapes

The 1970s and 1980s were a time when Swiss watches suffered due to quartz wristwatches. Many attempts were made to overcome these difficulties, And the variety of case shapes produced many results in line with the global social atmosphere. Cartier completed countless geometric shapes as case designs during this period, And Patek Philippe was likely in a similar situation.

Patek Philippe Yellow Gold Starburst
Quartz Watch Ref. 3603 ⓒ thekeystone.com

Patek Philippe's Ref. 3603, Called the Ugly Sister, Was a watch with a rectangular TV-shaped case and a double bezel. It featured an oval dial and an integrated bracelet. The curvature of the corners between the case and bezel was inconsistent, Making it difficult to call it a beautiful design even though it bore the Patek Philippe name.

Patek Philippe Lapis Dial 3633 Gondolo
ⓒ hairspring.com

The Ref. 3633 Gondolo, With a case and bracelet that look as if thick spring bars were attached, Is not quite an ugly watch, But its design may raise eyebrows depending on one's aesthetic perspective. It features a case silhouette and integrated bracelet that may have influenced the corner design of Cubitus and indicate its production period. Later, The modern Gondolo transformed into a linear case design that highlights the Art Deco style.

Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse 5738R
ⓒ patekphilippe

Although it does not receive much attention in the current Patek Philippe collection, The Golden Ellipse (1968), Which is somewhere between an oval and a rectangle, Cannot be left out when discussing unique case shapes. Depending on the production period, The ratio and curvature of the horizontal and vertical sides change. It would be interesting to line up Golden Ellipse vintage models. The Aquanaut, With its octagonal case close to a circle, Is also a unique case shape that cannot be omitted when talking about diversity.

Cubitus Collection

At least 80% and up to 85% of watch cases are round. This reflects consumer preferences. Nevertheless, It is said that the reason Patek Philippe released a new collection with a square case is because President Thierry Stern wanted it. Regarding why Cubitus was born with many of the main design elements and details of Nautilus, It is said to be considered the younger sibling of Nautilus, And its relationship with Aquanaut is also acknowledged. One of the requests made to the development team was a thin case. The aim was to pursue Elegant Sporty through a slim case thickness.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5726/1A
ⓒ patekphilippe

The case of Cubitus can be described as a square version of the Nautilus case structure. The unique design with protrusions on both sides of the case acting as bezel covers, The deck pattern dial, The distinctive hands and index design, And the bracelet are all directly adopted from Nautilus. The bracelet is equipped with an extension for slight length adjustment and can also be paired with a fabric strap. The water resistance is also 30m, Which is the same daily life level as Nautilus.

Patek Philippe Cubitus, Ref. 5821/1A
ⓒ patekphilippe

However, Unlike Nautilus, Cubitus includes an entry-level model with a stainless steel case (Ref. 5711), Which was discontinued in Nautilus. In summary, It is a slightly larger square case version of Nautilus.

Ref. 5822P

Patek Philippe Cubitus Grande Date
Ref. 5822P-001 ⓒ patekphilippe

This is the flagship of the Cubitus collection. Until new complicated function watches are introduced, It will play the role of the eldest. It features a platinum case, And as is tradition for Patek Philippe platinum cases, A baguette-cut diamond is set at the 6 o'clock position. Although the dial looks similar to Nautilus Ref. 5712, The functions are different. It is equipped with the self-winding Cal. 240 PS CI J LU, Which implements big date, Day, And moon phase functions. The Cal. 240 with micro-rotor is thin, Making it extremely advantageous for creating a slim case.

Patek Philippe Cubitus Grande Date
Ref. 5822P-001 ⓒ patekphilippe

In fact, The thickness of Ref. 5822P is only 9.6mm. The big date, Which stands out most on the dial, Is equipped with a strong safety device against operational mistakes. The date can be changed at any time, And even if you turn the time backward, The date function is not damaged. The day function paired with the date is also useful, And the moon phase gently changes the mood of the dial.

Ref. 5821/1AR and Ref. 5821/1A

Patek philippe cubitus  Ref. 5821/1AR ⓒ patekphilippe

Patek philippe cubitus  Ref. 5821/1A ⓒ patekphilippe

These are the entry models of Cubitus. Ref. 5821/1AR features a two-tone case of rose gold and stainless steel, And Ref. 5821/1A is stainless steel. With only a date function, The overall silhouette of the case and the dial pattern appear more distinct compared to Ref. 5822P. In addition to the blue dial symbolizing Nautilus, It is also introduced with the recently added olive green dial. It is equipped with the full rotor self-winding Cal. 26-330 S C, Which is used in the entry model of Nautilus, Ref. 5811G, Resulting in a case thickness of 8.3mm. This allows for a comfortable fit and the pursuit of Elegant Sporty.

Perhaps because Cubitus is still unfamiliar, Overseas reactions are more negative than positive, With many calling it ugly. It remains to be seen whether public opinion will turn positive over time, But considering the precedent of Aquanaut, Which initially received a cold response but later changed dramatically, It seems that the time when Cubitus will be recognized as the younger sibling of Nautilus is not far off.

Nautilus 5711/1A-001

40mm, Blue

Nautilus 5711/1A-010

40mm, Blue