Recommended ReadingPatek President Tells The New York Times Why He's Canceling the Nautilus Ref. 5711 – And Why It'll Have One Last 'Victory Lap'

In a new interview, company president Thierry Stern answers the questions we've all been asking since we learned he'd decided to stop producing one of the most popular stainless-steel sport watches in the world.

Stern told The New York Times' Nazanin Lankarani why he halted the Nautilus ref. 5711, why we learned about it from a run-out list and not an official announcement, what will happen next (though he held his cards close on this matter), and which stores will be the first to receive the ref. 5711 replacement. And, he made a very surprising announcement – there will be a final run of 5711s. Stern says the 5711 " ... will have a victory lap. We will have a surprise final series of the Ref. 5711. And it is not what was left in the pipeline."

If you've read Stern's previous interviews (including, ahem, ours), then you'll no doubt recognize the frankness that characterizes his replies. He has his reasons for what he did, even if they seem counterintuitive. Ultimately, it came down to prioritizing Patek Philippe as a brand above one single SKU. He's not second-guessing the decision to kill off a fan favorite. 

To read the whole story, visit The New York Times.