Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph · Reference 5990/1A-001
Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph 5990/1A-001
Known as Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph
The 5990/1A-001 is the single most complicated steel Nautilus Patek ever put into series production, and for a long stretch it was the hardest steel Patek to buy at retail short of a 5711. It stacks a flyback chronograph on top of a dual-time-zone travel-time mechanism, two complications that normally live on separate watches, inside a 40.5mm steel Nautilus case with the black gradated dial that ran from the 2014 launch of the 5990 line to the reference's discontinuation in 2022. Two pushers on the left side of the case advance and retract local time in one-hour jumps while home time stays fixed on a skeletonized hand, day/night apertures at 9 and 3 track both zones, and the chronograph pushers sit on the right. It is the only Nautilus that carries both the chronograph and the travel-time function together, which is exactly why collectors chase this specific reference and not just any steel Nautilus.
Produced: 2014 to 2022. The 5990 Travel Time Chronograph line launched in 2014, and the 5990/1A-001 with its black gradated dial ran until 2022, when Patek discontinued it and replaced it with the 5990/1A-011 carrying a blue sunburst dial. That makes the -001 the original steel execution and the one most collectors mean when they say '5990.'
In stock at Ultimate Diamond
3 pieces on the counter right now.
Specifications
- Reference
- 5990/1A-001
- Model
- Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph
- Case
- Stainless steel, rounded octagonal Nautilus form
- Case Diameter
- 40.5mm
- Case Thickness
- 12.53mm
- Dial
- Black gradated dial, embossed horizontal relief, luminescent-coated gold applied numerals
- Caliber
- Patek Philippe CH 28-520 C FUS, self-winding
- Complications
- Flyback chronograph with 60-minute counter, dual time zone travel time (local and home), local and home day/night indicators, local date by hand
- Jewels
- 34
- Frequency
- 28,800 vph (4 Hz)
- Power Reserve
- 45 to 55 hours
- Water Resistance
- 120 meters
- Crystal
- Sapphire front, sapphire display caseback
- Bracelet
- Integrated stainless steel Nautilus bracelet, fold-over clasp
- Year Introduced
- 2014 (5990 line); 5990/1A-001 discontinued 2022
Market & Value
This is a discontinued steel Patek complication, which is the exact profile that holds and builds value on the secondary market. Current listings run roughly $56,000 to $160,000 depending on condition, year, and completeness, with typical clean full-set examples clustering around the high five figures to low six figures. The reference has moved up over the past year rather than down. Original box, papers, and a matching production year all pull real money on this reference; an unworn full set trades at a clear premium to a worn watch with an aftermarket setup or missing paperwork. For context on the retail ladder, the successor 5990/1A-011 in blue carried a US list around $68,600, and steel Nautilus complications almost never sit at that number in practice. The -001 in black is the harder dial to find now precisely because it is out of production.
What to Know Before You Buy
Three things matter when you value one of these. First, dial and reference: the -001 is black gradated and discontinued, the -011 is blue and current production, and they are not interchangeable in price or demand. Confirm the reference on the caseback and papers, not just the dial color. Second, the movement: caliber CH 28-520 C FUS is a genuine dual-complication automatic, and any service history should come from Patek or an authorized watchmaker; a travel-time and flyback mechanism is not something you want serviced by a generalist. Third, condition of the case and bracelet: the Nautilus case has sharp brushed and polished transitions that a bad polish erases forever, and over-polished lugs or a stretched bracelet cut value hard on a watch at this price. Full set with box, papers, and matching year is the benchmark; anything short of that needs to be priced accordingly.
Buying or selling a 5990/1A-001?
We buy and sell the 5990/1A-001 at Ultimate Watch on 47th Street, and we write checks for these every week, so our numbers come from the buy side, not a chart. If you own one, bring it in to 19 West 47th and we will inspect the case, bracelet, movement, and papers in front of you and make you a real cash offer the same day. If you are looking to buy, tell us your dial and completeness preference and we will source a clean example. Call us or request an offer to get started.