Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Alan Sugar spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Lord Alan Sugar, the British entrepreneur and television personality best known for The Apprentice franchise, turned to social media to share a watch moment alongside Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poulter — and the piece on his wrist was impossible to overlook: a Patek Philippe World Time in white gold, reference 5131G-010.

The 5131G-010 is built around Calibre 240 HU, an ultra-thin self-winding movement measuring just 3.88mm in depth, featuring Patek Philippe's characteristic peripheral micro-rotor in 22-carat gold. The movement delivers hours, minutes, a world time display across all 24 time zones, and a day/night indicator — all contained within a 39.5mm white gold case that sits remarkably flat on the wrist. Water resistance is rated to 30 metres, and the sapphire case-back reveals the finishing quality that collectors pay a premium to own.

The defining feature of the 5131 series, however, is not mechanical — it is the dial. Each 5131G-010 dial is produced using the ancient art of cloisonné enamel, with individual gold wires hand-soldered to partition a map of the Northern Hemisphere into cells filled with powdered enamel, fired repeatedly in a kiln, and polished flat. No two dials are identical. Patek Philippe employs only a handful of artisans capable of producing them, which fundamentally constrains supply. The reference succeeded the 5130 in 2012 and has maintained a waiting list at authorised dealers ever since.

For a businessman of Sugar's profile — founder of Amstrad, peer of the realm, and a man who has publicly discussed his appreciation for fine watches — the 5131G-010 is a coherent choice. It signals a collector's sensibility rather than mere conspicuous consumption. Sharing it alongside a professional sportsman of Poulter's calibre suggests both men understand the watch's layered identity: a precision instrument dressed as a work of art.

At UK retail the 5131G-010 carried an RRP of approximately £41,400 at the time of sighting, translating to roughly $52,000 USD. On the secondary market, strong demand and production constraints have pushed grey-market premiums well above list price, with clean examples regularly trading between $70,000 and $85,000 USD — a position that shows no signs of softening.