Footballer Lionel Messi spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

At the 2017 Ballon d'Or ceremony held at the Salle Wagram in Paris, Lionel Messi accepted his fifth career award wearing a watch that, even then, was one of the hardest pieces to acquire in fine watchmaking: the Patek Philippe Nautilus Reference 5711/1A-011, known among collectors as the 'Piano Dial.' The nickname derives from the watch's applied baton hour markers, whose alternating raised and recessed surfaces bear a striking resemblance to a piano keyboard — a small but characterful detail that distinguishes this dial variant from earlier Nautilus iterations.

The Nautilus line was conceived by the late Gerald Genta and introduced by Patek Philippe in 1976 as a luxury sports watch in stainless steel, a bold proposition at a time when precious metals defined high horology. The Reference 5711 — direct descendant of the original Ref. 3700 — launched in 2006 and became the definitive modern expression of the design. The 5711/1A-011 houses Patek's Calibre 26-330 S C, a self-winding movement with a 45-hour power reserve, beating at 28,800 vph, and offering hours, minutes, seconds, and a date display. The integrated stainless steel bracelet with its distinctive horizontal embossed pattern remains one of the most technically refined in the industry.

From a collector standpoint, the 5711/1A-011 occupies near-mythic status. Patek Philippe officially discontinued the reference in January 2021, citing a desire to reduce dependence on a single iconic model — a decision that immediately sent secondary market prices into the stratosphere. Authorized dealer waiting lists, already years long, became entirely academic overnight.

Messi's relationship with fine watchmaking is well documented. The Argentine forward has appeared in campaign imagery for Jacob & Co and owns pieces across multiple prestigious maisons. Choosing a restrained, steel-cased Patek Philippe Nautilus for the Ballon d'Or — rather than a diamond-set statement piece — speaks to a considered collector sensibility rather than mere trophy dressing.

On the secondary market, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-011 now trades comfortably in the $120,000–$160,000 range depending on condition and provenance, against an original retail price of approximately $34,893. For a watch Patek once struggled to position as desirable beyond a niche audience, the reversal is complete.