Patek Philippe has finally debuted the long-awaited Cubitus, a collection of “elegant sporty” watches. The Cubitus is an oversized square watch with an unexpectedly elegant profile – and some echoes of the Nautilus. While that might seem like an odd recipe, the Cubitus is a successful new creation.

The collection is led by the flagship Cubitus ref. 5822P Instantaneous Grand Date (pictured above) in platinum powered by an all-new calibre.

The Cubitus ref. 5822P in profile

The bestseller, however, will be the entry-level model, the Cubitus ref. 5821/1A, a time-and-date in steel with an olive-green dial. The Cubitus ref. 5821/1AR is also a three-hander with date, but in two-tone steel and 18k rose gold with a blue dial.

The Cubitus ref. 5821/1A

Initial thoughts

The most discussed new launch of the year, the Cubitus is many things – “elegant sporty”, a relative of the Nautilus, and controversial – but it also surprises on the upside.

I like the Cubitus, especially the base model in steel. The large square bezel complements the “ears” on either side of the case, and the bracelet integrates unexpectedly well into the design.

The Cubitus has obviously inherited genes from the Nautilus – Thierry Stern himself acknowledges that – but the result is more natural than the angular bezel suggests. And Cubitus doesn’t merely transplant cosmetics, but also employs the unique one-piece case construction of the Nautilus.

Importantly, the Cubitus has good ergonomics. The case measures 45 mm diagonally (all three new models are the same diameter), the Cubitus is impressively thin. Even with the triple instantaneous calendar indications, the ref. 5822P- 001 is only 9.6 mm high, while the ref. 5821 is only 8.3 mm.

The case sits thin and elegant on the wrist, and actually wears a little slimmer than the Nautilus ref. 5711 or ref. 5811, a visual illusion created by the wide diameter. And the bracelet is smooth and supple, which boosts wearability.

Interestingly, though the ref. 5821 has a bracelet, it feels more elegant thanks to the supple feel and rounded links. The ref. 5822P is more impressively technically, but it feels a little incomplete without a bracelet.

That said, the ref. 5822P is arguably the best value amongst the three – it’s platinum with a new calibre – despite being the most expensive at CHF75,000.

That leads me to the weakness of the Cubitus, which in my mind isn’t anything tangible, but rather the price. The models are priced in line with Patek Philippe conventions, which means pricey.

Mr Stern describes the Cubitus ref. 5821/1A as an “entry” into Patek Philippe, but it still retails for CHF35,000. The all-steel ref. 5821/1A is executed very well, but the price is a high bar to entry, even if it is into the rarefied world of Patek Philippe.

Family genes

The brand’s first new collection since the Twenty-4 in 1999, the Cubitus realises Mr Stern’s long-held ambition of a square watch. According to Mr Stern, Patek Philippe has a rich history of form watches, ranging in shape from oval to rectangular, but square cases are relatively uncommon.

Starting from the premise of the square case, the Cubitus – it’s a name Mr Stern conceived that doesn’t mean anything specific – was developed over four years, plus another two for the cal. 240 PS CI J LU. A variety of designs were proposed according to Mr Stern, but it was this, with hints of the Nautilus, that was his aesthetic ideal. And, as is always his preference, the Cubitus had to be thin.

The fit and finishing of the Cubitus is similar to current Patek Philippe offerings, which is to say the external components are excellent with a high level of detail, while the movement is industrial haute horlogerie.

In profile the Cubitus reveals a construction identical to that of the Nautilus. The bezel sits on the one-piece case middle, with lateral screws located in the “ears” securing the bezel to the case.

This means the movement and dial are installed in the case from the front, before the bezel is attached. It also allows for a relatively slimmer case that is also water resistant.

Beyond the design of the watches, the Cubitus collection also reveals a surprising attention to detail.

The movements, for instance, feature a stamped linear motif on the rotor that mirrors the dial. The rotor decoration is a modest extra, but it’s unique in the Patek Philippe catalogue. Aside from some Grand Complication models, the Cubitus is the only collection with its own movement decoration.

And Cubitus also stands out for its packaging. All models are delivered in a square box covered in blue fabric that’s unique to the collection (the form of the box is reminiscent of the Nautilus cork box).

The cal. 26-330 S C with a Cubitus rotor

Cubitus Ref. 5822P Instantaneous Grande Date, Day and Moon Phases

The ref. 5822P is a subtle watch. It might pass for steel at a distance, and the dial might be confused with that of the ref. 5712/1A. But the ref. 5822P has a platinum case and a new movement, the cal. 240 PS CI J LU.

Because the case is platinum, the bezel has a tiny diamond set into its rim at six o’clock, as is tradition for Patek Philippe, but instead of a brilliant-cut stone, the diamond is baguette-cut for the first time.

The foundation of the movement is the cal. 240, Patek Philippe’s longstanding micro-rotor calibre that will be 50 years old next year. But the calendar mechanism – that’s integrated and not modular – is newly developed and in typical Patek Philippe style, boasts sophisticated engineering that emphasises slimness and reliability.

The calendar is triple instantaneous – the date, day, and moon phase all change in an instant at midnight, 0.018 seconds to be exact. This is tactile: the instantaneous jump at midnight occurs with an audible, crisp click.

According to Philip Barat, the director of product development at Patek Philippe, the instantaneous display was a natural consequence of the desire for maximum thinness. The same set of calendar indications would have resulted in a thicker movement if they were constructed as conventional “dragging” indications.

Though the calendar indications are simple, the instantaneous construction is complex and integrated onto the base plate, rather than being a module. Some 200 parts were added to the cal. 240 base movement for the calendar, more than doubling the total part count to 353.

The calibre boasts six patents, including for a “tangential brake” that prevents a double jump of the date discs from “31” to “01”. On the 31st of a month, only the tens disc jumps while “1” remains stationary. However, the energy flowing into the date mechanism is to advance two discs, hence a brake is needed to avoid a double jump.

Cubitus refs. 5821/1A and 5821/1AR

Unlike its more complex counterpart, the Cubitus ref. 5821 is powered by the cal. 26-330 S C that’s also found in the Calatrava and Nautilus. It’s a full-rotor automatic with three hands and date.

Because it is simple mechanically, the ref. 5821 is a thin watch. It’s just 8.3 mm high, and feels even thinner due to the wide diameter.

The dial has a stamped horizontal motif that’s similar to that found on the Nautilus, with applied indices in 18k gold. The hands are also solid gold, as is the frame for the date.

The ref. 5821 is making its debut in two variants, the all-steel ref. 5821/1A with an olive-green dial that’s identical in colour to the final-edition Nautilus ref. 5711/1A-014.

The ref. 5821/1AR is in steel with 18k rose gold accents, namely the bezel and centre links of the bracelet, with a dark blue dial. The palette is identical to the Nautilus Chronograph ref. 5980/1AR, but this is a much slimmer watch.

Both share the same clasp that incorporates a single-notch micro-adjustment in the links on each side of the clasp.

Key facts and price

Patek Philippe Cubitus
Ref. 5821/1AR-001
Ref. 5821/1A-001

Diameter: 45 mm
Height: 8.3 mm
Material: 18k rose gold and steel; steel
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 26-330 S C
Functions: Hours, minutes, and seconds
Frequency: 28,800 beats per hour (4 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 45 hours

Strap: Bracelet with micro-adjustment clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at Patek Philippe retailers and boutiques
Price: CHF35,000 for ref. 5821/1A; CHF52,000 for ref. 5821/1AR

Patek Philippe Cubitus Instantaneous Grand Date, Day and Moon Phases
Ref. 5822P-001

Diameter: 45 mm
Height: 9.6 mm
Material: Platinum
Crystal: Sapphire
Water resistance: 30 m

Movement: Cal. 240 PS CI J LU
Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds, large date, moon phase and day of the week
Frequency: 21,600 beats per hour (3 Hz)
Winding: Automatic
Power reserve: 48 hours

Strap: Navy blue composite strap with platinum Cubitus folding clasp

Limited edition: No
Availability: Now at Patek Philippe retailers and boutiques
Price: CHF75,000 before taxes

For more, visit patek.com.