The All-New Patek Philippe Cubitus Watch

The sports watch family of Patek Philippe welcomes a new member—Cubitus. At the global launch in Munich, Germany, Revolution founder Wei Koh shared his insights on this new timepiece.

It all began with a name and a goal. Patek Philippe’s president, Thierry Stern, stated: “I’ve long wanted to add a square watch to our lineup. 85% of watches are round, and I felt we were missing something like this. The name ‘Cubitus’ was the first that came to mind—simple, easy to pronounce, and universally understood in all languages.” However, while the name was quickly decided, the design concept took two years of repeated refinement, ultimately creating a spiritual connection with the brand’s iconic Nautilus watch.

Stern added: “At first, we didn’t plan to make a sister model to the Nautilus. But throughout the two years of design work, every time we tried something, the design felt insufficiently complex, the case lacked refinement, and the watch’s concept didn’t reach the level of excitement we wanted. So, we began trying to create a sport-chic watch with an integrated bracelet. For me, this kind of watch is very important. People might think this is a recent trend, but to me, it goes beyond that. Over the past few years, our way of dressing has changed.” Stern explained in a sunny conference room at Patek Philippe’s Munich headquarters: “Five years ago, we were all still wearing ties. Today, dress codes have become more relaxed, and we wear open-collar shirts, even sneakers. Urban life has given rise to a new style, and the sport-chic watch with an integrated bracelet is the perfect companion to this style.” Therefore, the theme of the Cubitus launch was “urban chic.” When asked about the theme, Stern smiled and said, “You are free to interpret that—this is the charm of today’s fashion.”

A New Expression of Sport-Chic

So, what is the first impression of Cubitus? It feels like another design Gérald Genta might have proposed to Patek Philippe when designing the Nautilus, one that caught the Stern family’s attention and was sealed away until it was brought back to the public eye today.

Cubitus undeniably carries the Nautilus’s style. It features a similar two-piece case design, with the Nautilus’ characteristic “ears” secured by four vertical screws. The dial also boasts horizontal embossing, sunburst patterns, and a subtle smoked effect. The integrated bracelet design shares many similarities with the Nautilus. Even the movement inside is the same: the time and date model Cubitus ref. 5821 uses the 26-330 movement, while the large date ref. 5822 uses the 240 movement, just like the Nautilus ref. 5811 and 5712.

However, Cubitus has its own unique personality. First of all, it is not a retro-styled watch. Its size—45mm in diameter—clearly positions it as a modern watch. Second, the sharp angles of the case and bezel, the mirror-polished edges, and the pronounced vertical brushing give it a more aggressive look than the Nautilus. The watch has a bold, rebellious aura, as if it were the "bad boy" version of the Nautilus—imagine someone tattooed, riding a motorcycle, with long hair.

This “bad boy” image is balanced by the slim design of the 5821 and 5822 models. The two watches measure 8.6mm and 9.6mm thick, respectively, and of course, they both embody Patek Philippe’s ultimate pursuit of fine craftsmanship. The beveled edges of the bezel echo the complex sapphire crystal surface, further softening the sharpness of the watch. This striking contrast makes the Cubitus a perfect watch for stylish individuals who love nightlife but maintain an elegant appearance.

Geometric Aesthetics

Now, let’s talk about the details that everyone is most concerned about. The Cubitus series currently offers three models, two of which are time-and-date models with reference numbers 5821: an all-steel version and a two-tone steel and rose gold version. The all-steel model features a green dial similar to the final model of the Nautilus 5711, while the two-tone version has a blue dial reminiscent of the Nautilus 5990. Both watches measure 45mm x 8.6mm and are priced at CHF 35,000 (steel) and CHF 57,000 (two-tone).

It's worth noting that Stern places great emphasis on the slim design of the Cubitus. He said, “I love the elegant feel of the early Nautilus watches (ref. 3700-01A), and I want the Cubitus to convey that feeling too.” Both watches are equipped with the 26-330 movement.

Some might wonder why the Cubitus chose a 45mm diameter at a time when classic watch sizes are trending smaller. How does the ref. 5821 feel on the wrist? The answer is surprisingly good—you can see its performance in my video review. Even though the bracelet hadn’t been adjusted to the proper size, the balance and comfort on the wrist were still excellent. From the front, the watch’s muscular presence contrasts with its slim elegance when viewed from the side. They truly have a Patek Philippe quality to them, which is high praise.

When I asked Stern if they would release a mid-size version around 37-38mm, he smiled and said, “This is our family’s first square watch, and we will release more models in the future. We’ve already considered this question.”

Interestingly, while the 5821 looked great on both Stern and me, it looked especially stunning on his son Adrian’s wrist. He was dressed in a light gray suit, white open-collar shirt, and wore the two-tone Cubitus, paired with a bracelet and rings. When I asked if the watch was aimed at a younger generation, Stern responded, “We always have to think about how to attract the new generation of consumers.”

Platinum Cubitus Ref. 5822

At the launch, Stern wore the Cubitus ref. 5822, a platinum large date watch with a day, date, and moon phase function. Compared to the 5821, the 5822 is slightly smaller and designed to fit individuals with smaller wrists, like mine, common among Asians.

The design of the Cubitus 5822 has been carefully refined. The dial layout is elegant, and all indicators are clear and easy to read. The large date window is placed above the hour hand for easy viewing, and the date disk lies flat on the same level. The instantaneous date jump feature takes just 18 milliseconds, while the case thickness is kept to 9.6mm, making it very comfortable to wear.

Patek Philippe’s technical director Philip Barat shared the design challenges of the 5822 movement: the movement was initially 5.2mm thick, but Stern thought it was too thick and requested a redesign, eventually reducing the movement’s thickness to 4.76mm. The movement consists of 353 parts, including 52 jewels. The Cubitus movement has also earned six patents, including a tangential brake to prevent double-jumping dates and a flexible date corrector. The watch completes the date, moon phase, and weekday jump at midnight, ensuring wearers can easily read the time.

A New Chapter in Patek Philippe’s Sports Collection

The Patek Philippe Cubitus injects new vitality into the brand’s sports collection. While it has spiritual ties to the Nautilus and Aquanaut, it presents a more modern and bold design. Stern remarked, “We want to focus more on precious metal watches in the future. The movement is the most precious part of the watch, consuming the most manpower and time.”

With Adrian Stern joining the company, Patek Philippe is entering an exciting new chapter. Cubitus is just the beginning, with more exciting creations to come.