Footballer Luka Modric spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Ahead of a UEFA Super Cup tie, five-time Champions League winner Luka Modric was photographed courtside wearing what many collectors regard as the single most consequential sports watch of the modern era: the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-010 in stainless steel with its signature blue horizontal embossed dial. It is a quiet, understated choice — and precisely the right one.

Designed by Gérard Genta and introduced in 1976, the Nautilus was a provocative proposition: a luxury sports watch in steel at a price that exceeded gold dress watches from rivals. The 5711 generation, launched in 2006, refined that original vision to near-perfection. The 40mm integrated-bracelet case houses Calibre 324 S C, a self-winding movement with a 45-hour power reserve, oscillating at 28,800 vph. The dial — horizontally embossed with a subtle gradated blue finish — remains one of the most imitated surfaces in watchmaking and one of the hardest to replicate convincingly.

Patek Philippe's January 2021 announcement that it would discontinue the 5711/1A-010 in steel instantly elevated it from desirable to mythological. Authorized dealer allocations had already been multi-year affairs; after the announcement, the secondary market reacted immediately and dramatically. The reference now trades at figures that make its $30,500 retail price feel almost archival. For collectors, owning a 5711/1A is not merely a horological achievement — it is evidence of either impeccable dealer relationships or serious financial commitment.

Modric, widely considered the finest midfielder of his generation and a Ballon d'Or winner in 2018, has long cultivated a taste for understated luxury. The Nautilus suits him: technically excellent, historically significant, recognizable without being loud. The pairing of a footballer's precision and a watchmaker's mechanical discipline is not accidental.

On the current grey market, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-010 commands approximately $160,000 — roughly 5.2 times its last official retail of $30,500. With no replacement in steel announced, demand shows no structural signs of softening. For anyone fortunate enough to hold one, Modric's wrist time is simply a reminder of what they have.