Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Nusret Gökçe Saltbae spotted wearing Patek Philippe

When Nusret Gökçe — universally known as Salt Bae — sat down with British rapper Tinie Tempah for a watch conversation, the piece on his wrist was impossible to ignore. The Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5719/11G-010 in 18K white gold, entirely factory-set with diamonds and blue sapphires, commanded attention the way only a seven-figure Geneva creation can. The sighting underscores a pattern for the flamboyant restaurateur: he does not merely wear expensive watches, he wears conversation pieces.

The 5719/11G-010 is built on the Aquanaut platform introduced by Patek Philippe in 1997 — a sports-luxury proposition with an octagonal bezel and rounded case, powered in this generation by the Calibre 324 S C automatic movement. That self-winding manufacture calibre beats at 28,800 vph, offers a 45-hour power reserve, and is finished to Patek's exacting Seal standards. The white gold case measures 40mm and retains the Aquanaut's signature composite strap, here exchanged for a gem-set bracelet configuration befitting the jewellery-watch category.

What separates the 5719/11G-010 from countless aftermarket diamond conversions — a critical distinction for serious collectors — is its full factory provenance. Patek Philippe's Geneva workshops set 1,343 brilliant-cut diamonds across the case and dial, add 185 baguette-cut diamonds for architectural structure, and surround the bezel with 32 baguette-cut blue sapphires. The result passes through Patek's quality control intact, meaning the manufacturer's warranty and certification travel with the watch. That provenance carries enormous weight at auction and in private sales.

Salt Bae built his global brand on theatricality — the slow salt-sprinkle gesture that became a meme — and then leveraged it into a restaurant empire spanning Istanbul, London, New York and beyond. His public persona is unapologetically maximalist, and the 5719/11G-010 sits squarely within that aesthetic. Discussing it with Tinie Tempah, himself a well-documented watch collector, suggests the conversation went well beyond surface-level admiration.

On the market, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5719/11G-010 carries a list price of approximately $550,000, reflecting the extraordinary labour and material cost of factory gem-setting at this level. On the grey market, demand for factory-pavé Patek references has pushed values considerably higher, with current estimates placing the 5719/11G-010 at around $1,100,000 — effectively doubling retail. For a piece that straddles haute horlogerie and high jewellery, that premium is entirely consistent with where the collector market sits today.