The Aquanaut series of Patek Philippe was originally supposed to be the brand’s closest connection to the market. Just considering the official pricing, the steel case rubber strap three-hand model 5167A within the Aquanaut collection has the lowest price among all PP watches. However, this is only an illusion on paper. In reality, the market price of this watch in the secondary market is much higher than the official pricing. Even the entry-level models of the Calatrava and Golden Ellipse series have lower prices than the Aquanaut 5167A, highlighting the popularity of this series and the current situation where sports watches are more favored by the market compared to dress watches.
In 2024, before the Geneva Watch and Wonders Fair, there was the regrettable news that the dual-time model 5164A of the Aquanaut series was going to be discontinued. But new additions have continued to join the series. The most notable one is undoubtedly the 5164G made of white gold. Patek Philippe changed both the dial and the strap of the watch to blue-gray, creating a clear distinction from the previous black dial of the stainless steel model. The same series also introduced the 5269R quartz dual-time watch to replace the previous 5269/200R with gemstone-set bezels. Coincidentally, the dial and rubber strap of this watch are also blue-gray. And without the gemstone inlays, the watch can get closer to the needs of collectors. Additionally, Aquanaut launched the 5268/461G jewelry watch this year. Its bezel and dial are respectively set with diamonds and sapphires, presented through techniques such as snowflake settings and rectangular gemstone settings. Through the contrast of gemstone colors, it creates a refreshing and elegant feeling of white and blue interlacing. Paired with a white gold case and a blue rubber strap, it showcases the low-key luxurious style.
In recent years, the Aquanaut series has given people an increasingly dynamic impression. Patek Philippe not only continuously expands the functionality of the series but is also willing to try new colors for the dials, such as blue, green, and blue-gray as mentioned earlier. Coupled with the interpretation of different materials, the current online collection of the Aquanaut family has accumulated over 20 models, including both men’s and women’s watches. However, PP adjusted the watch prices again in February 2024. This was the second price adjustment after 2023. Even the star model 5164A-001 of the series was also removed from the shelves and discontinued. Currently, if you search for watch information on the Patek Philippe official website, you will find that their prices have increased compared to previous years. It is worth noting that the brand raised the prices for the second time within a year in September 2024, and this time the increase was even greater.
The following lists the latest price information of several popular models for your reference.
- 5167A-001 Stainless steel three-hand – NT$ 801,000
- 5167R-001 Rose gold three-hand – NT$ 1,526,000
- 5168G-001 White gold three-hand – NT$ 1,648,000
- 5968A-001 Stainless steel chronograph – NT$ 1,813,000
- 5968G-010 White gold chronograph – NT$ 2,534,000
Judging from the current pricing of the Aquanaut series, the entry-level 5167A does seem relatively friendly. However, from 2022 to the present, the pricing increase has been quite astonishing. The pricing of this watch was NT$ 673,000 in 2022, and now it has directly increased by NT$ 128,000, with a growth rate of more than 19%. The pricing of the rose gold three-hand model 5167R has also increased by approximately 19.5% during the two years. Compared to the situation where the market prices of most popular watches have mostly continued to decline in the past three years, it seems that the overpricing situation of watches might improve? But if you think so, it’s a bit too optimistic…
According to the data from the advanced watch market research institution WatchCharts, the secondary market prices of the popular models of the Aquanaut series around June 2024 were as follows: 5167A: US$ 50,172 (approximately NT$ 1.64 million), 5167R: US$ 69,419 (approximately NT$ 2.27 million), 5168G-001: US$ 73,106 (approximately NT$ 2.39 million), 5968A: US$ 113,988 (approximately NT$ 3.725 million), and 5968G-010: US$ 115,749 (approximately NT$ 3.783 million). Each model is significantly higher than the official pricing, indicating how astonishing the peak state of the watch market was at the end of the first quarter of 2022. Even after more than two years of price decline, the overpricing situation is still obvious.
Half a year has passed since then. From the data released by WatchCharts, we found that the market trends of these popular models of the Aquanaut series mostly continue to decline. Although the market prices of watches always fluctuate during the half-year period, in terms of the latest market quotations, compared to the market prices half a year ago, most of these models show a shrinking state.
Specifically, 5167A: US$ 49,407 (approximately NT$ 1.614 million), 5167R: US$ 71,344 (approximately NT$ 2.332 million), 5168G-001: US$ 72,906 (approximately NT$ 2.383 million), 5968A: US$ 112,902 (approximately NT$ 3.70 million), and 5968G-010: US$ 114,500 (approximately NT$ 3.742 million). Just looking at these numbers is still considerable, but 80% of them have dropped from the level half a year ago. Recently, the secondary market prices of these five Aquanaut series models have mostly declined, but there are exceptions. For example, the increase of 5167R is more obvious. Before November 2024, its price was hovering at a low level in recent years. But after that, it grew significantly in a short period of time. Then, in the first third of December, it dropped rapidly. And soon after, it rebounded sharply to this year’s high point. This dramatic development makes people feel confused.
The secondary market prices of these popular models of the Aquanaut series still show a downward trend, but they are still far from the official pricing baseline. Similar to the Nautilus series, the overpricing degree of the Aquanaut series is also quite significant. The premium rates of all five models exceed 40%. The top two are 5968A-001 with 101.7% and 5167A with 99.6%. The other three are 5167R with 51.3%, 5968G-010 with 46.3%, and 5168G-001 with 43.2%. Even though the watch market has been in a decline for more than two years, the high premium rate still makes them seem inaccessible. The charm of the popular models of the “King of Watches” is truly extraordinary.
From top to bottom, the current foreign latest quotations and price trends of 5167A, 5167R, 5168G-001, 5968A, and 5968G-010.
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