Patek Philippe Nautilus 5811/1G-001: The Blue Dial in White Gold
Table of Contents
Watch the full unboxing
We got the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5811/1G-001 in for a closer look, and it reads even better in person than it photographs. This is the white gold Nautilus, the reference that stepped in after Patek began winding down the steel 5711 in 2021. Same Genta silhouette everyone knows, now in precious metal, a hair larger, with a blue sunburst dial that fades to near-black at the rim.
How it arrives: the Patek Philippe presentation box.
The Dial and Design
The dial is what people react to first when we hand it over. It is a blue sunburst that fades to near-black at the rim, with the horizontal embossed grooves that have defined the Nautilus since 1976. White gold applied hour markers sit over the grooves, filled with lume, and there is a framed date window at 3 o'clock. In the metal we think the blue looks richer than the 5711's, with more sheen catching the light as you tilt it. It is a simple time-and-date layout, no sub-dials, which keeps the focus on the texture and the case.
The 5811/1G-001: the classic Nautilus silhouette, now in white gold.
The embossed grooves and applied markers up close.
Case, Weight, and Wearability
The case is 18k white gold, 41mm across and 8.2mm thick. That thinness is the headline: it stays flat and slides under a shirt cuff the way a Nautilus should. What you do notice is the weight. On our scale it came in at 204.6 grams, a little under half a pound, because the whole case and bracelet are solid white gold rather than steel. The density is part of the appeal at this level. Water resistance is 120 meters with a screw-down crown, so it handles daily life without being a dive watch.
On the wrist: 41mm wide but only 8.2mm thick, so it wears flat.
204.6 grams on the scale, all solid white gold.
Movement and Caseback
Inside is the automatic Caliber 26-330 S C, with a power reserve Patek rates at 35 to 45 hours. You can see it through the sapphire caseback, and it is worth flipping over. The 21k gold rotor sits over Geneva striping and perlage, with the Patek Calatrava cross finished into the winding weight. The "Au750" stamp on the caseback confirms the 18k white gold case. This is the finishing you pay for on a Patek, and the exhibition back lets you actually look at it.
Caliber 26-330 S C through the sapphire back, gold rotor and Calatrava cross.
Bracelet and Clasp
The bracelet is fully integrated white gold, the links tapering down from the case in that stepped Nautilus profile. It closes on Patek's patented fold-over clasp with the newer lockable adjustment system, so you can extend the fit a couple of millimeters on the fly without tools. It is smooth, secure, and comfortable. Getting a bracelet like this right in gold is a big part of why the watch feels the way it does.
Integrated white gold bracelet with the patented fold-over clasp.
How It Compares to the 5711
The 5811/1G is 41mm against the 5711's 40mm, so it is a touch larger, and it is white gold where the popular 5711/1A was steel. Everything else that made the 5711 a modern grail carries over: the octagonal bezel, the ears, the grooved dial, the integrated bracelet. If you knew the 5711, this reads as the same watch in white gold and a millimeter larger. Underneath, Patek gave the 5811 a two-part case and a new pull-out piece system in place of the 5711's split stem, so it is more than the old watch scaled up in gold.
Availability and Market
First, the disclaimer: this is what we see moving day to day, not financial advice. The Nautilus has been one of the hardest Pateks to get for years, and there is no steel 5811, so if you want this design in current production it comes in gold. Official Patek retail runs around $90,000 (roughly $89,800 list as of July 2026), but almost nobody buys one at that price. As of July 2026, WatchCharts puts the 5811/1G-001 secondary-market value near $170,000, well above retail. Our asking price on this full-set example is $235,000, which sits above that WatchCharts figure. As a pre-owned and grey-market dealer we borrow retail from public sources and set our own price on the piece in hand rather than a market index. If you want one now, this is the channel it comes through rather than an authorized-dealer waitlist.
Blue sunburst fading to black at the edge, with the framed date at 3.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Nautilus 5811 and 5711?
The 5811/1G is 41mm white gold and replaced the 40mm steel 5711, which Patek began phasing out in 2021. It is a millimeter larger and made in precious metal instead of steel, with a redesigned two-part case and a new pull-out piece system in place of the 5711's split stem. The core Nautilus design carries over unchanged.
What movement is in the Patek Philippe 5811/1G-001?
It runs the automatic Caliber 26-330 S C, a self-winding time-and-date movement with a power reserve of 35 to 45 hours. You can view it through the sapphire caseback, including the gold winding rotor finished with the Patek Calatrava cross.
Is the white gold Nautilus 5811 water resistant?
Yes. It carries 120 meters of water resistance with a screw-down crown, which covers swimming and everyday wear. It is built as a luxury sports watch rather than a dedicated dive watch, so we would not take it deep diving.
How much does the Nautilus 5811/1G-001 weigh?
On our scale it read 204.6 grams, a little under half a pound. The heft comes from the solid 18k white gold case and fully integrated white gold bracelet, and it is a big part of how substantial the watch feels on the wrist.
Does the Patek Philippe 5811/1G-001 have a display caseback?
Yes. It has a sapphire crystal caseback, so you can look right at the automatic Caliber 26-330 S C and its 21k gold winding rotor finished with the Patek Calatrava cross. The case is stamped Au750, which confirms the 18k white gold.
How much is the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5811/1G-001?
Our price on this one is $235,000. Official Patek retail runs around $90,000 (roughly $89,800 list as of July 2026), and as of July 2026 WatchCharts puts the secondary-market value near $170,000, well above retail. As a grey-market dealer we borrow retail from public sources and set our own price on the piece in hand, which is why ours sits above the WatchCharts figure.