Patek Philippe Nautilus Travel Time Chronograph 5990/1A
Stainless steel · black-grey dial · integrated bracelet · 40.5 mm
A flyback chronograph and a dual-time in one steel Nautilus. The most complicated thing Patek puts in this case and still calls a sports watch.
- Reference
- 5990/1A
- Metal
- Stainless steel
- Size
- 40.5 mm
- Calibre
- CH 28-520 C FUS
- Complications
- Flyback chronograph, dual time
Two complications that have no business fitting in the same case.
The 5990 does something Patek had not done before: it puts a flyback chronograph and a travel-time complication in one Nautilus case. Two pushers on the left move local time forward and back in one-hour steps, dragging the date with them; two apertures at 9 and 3 tell you at a glance whether you are reading local or home time.
The chronograph is a flyback, so a single press resets and restarts it without stopping first. The counters are laid out to keep the dial legible despite carrying two complications — which, on a 40.5 mm dial with Patek's horizontal embossing across it, is the hard part of the design rather than the movement.
In steel this is a reference that has never been easy to buy, and it tends to be held rather than traded. Tell us how firm you are on steel; the same watch exists in gold, and the timing is very different.
- Flyback chronograph with a 60-minute monocounter
- Second time zone with local and home apertures and a date that follows
- Calibre CH 28-520 C FUS, self-winding, with a gold rotor
- Pushers set local time in one-hour steps in both directions
As it leaves the manufacture
- Case and dial
- Case
- 40.5 mm, stainless steel, rounded octagonal bezel
- Crystal
- Sapphire, with a sapphire case back
- Dial
- Black-grey gradated, horizontally embossed
- Indications
- Local and home apertures at 9 and 3; day/night indicators
- Water resistance
- 120 m
- Movement
- Calibre
- CH 28-520 C FUS, Patek Philippe
- Type
- Self-winding flyback chronograph with dual time
- Rotor
- 21 ct gold central rotor
- Power reserve
- Approximately 45 to 55 hours
- Certification
- Patek Philippe Seal
- Functions
- Hours, minutes, date; flyback chronograph with 60-minute counter; second time zone
- Bracelet
- Bracelet
- Stainless steel, integrated into the case
- Clasp
- Patek Philippe fold-over clasp
- Note
- The bracelet is not interchangeable; it is part of the case design
Other Patek Philippe watches requested
Each page is a guide to the reference and how we source it, not a listing. If yours is not here, ask anyway.
Sourced to your brief, itemised before you decide
Nothing on this page is stock. A complicated steel Nautilus is found through the network, not ordered.
The brief
Steel or gold, and whether the dial colour matters. Say if a full set with the Certificate of Origin is essential to you.
Availability and timing
Confirmed for each request. This reference is held rather than traded, so we tell you what is realistic before you commit to anything.
What accompanies the watch
Original box, Certificate of Origin, booklets and any additional links are itemised for the individual watch we propose.
Condition and documents
Condition, originality, service history and verification arrangements are set out in writing. On a chronograph we confirm that the pushers and the flyback function have been checked.
Four steps, no pressure
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Brief
Send the reference by WhatsApp or the form, with the dial, set and timing that matter to you. A collection or a style is enough to begin.
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Source
We go to our network rather than a boutique list, and come back with what is realistic on availability and timing before you commit to anything.
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Verify
Condition, documents and what accompanies the watch are set out in writing for the individual piece we propose. You decide with the details in front of you.
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Settle and deliver
Bank transfer in any major currency, or crypto. Collection in London or fully insured delivery, agreed for the watch and the destination.
Looking for a different watch?
Any brand, any reference, whether or not it appears on this site. Tell us what you have in mind and we take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
What does flyback mean?
A single press of the reset pusher while the chronograph is running zeroes it and restarts it immediately, instead of requiring stop, reset and start. It was designed for timing successive legs of a flight.
How does the travel time work?
Two pushers on the left case flank move the local hour hand forward or back in one-hour steps. The date follows local time, and the apertures at 9 and 3 show whether you are reading local or home.
Is it available in gold?
Yes, the 5990 exists in gold as well as steel. Tell us whether the metal is fixed for you; it materially changes both the search and the timing.
How long does it take to source one?
It depends on the configuration and how specific the brief is. We tell you what is realistic at the start rather than quote a number we cannot keep.
Can I pay in crypto?
Yes. Bank transfer in any major currency, or crypto; Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum, USDT and other major coins and stablecoins are accepted. The coin, network and amount are confirmed with you before any transfer.
Tell us the watch you have in mind
An exact reference or an idea is enough to start the conversation. We will take care of the search and discuss the options with you.