Watch Paparazzi

Royal Abdul Mateen spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Prince Abdul Mateen of Brunei — the tenth child and fourth son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's wealthiest heads of state — was recently spotted wearing a Patek Philippe World Time reference 5131/1P-001 in platinum, a watch that sits at the intersection of haute horlogerie and fine art.

The Patek Philippe 5131 family traces its lineage directly to Louis Cottier's world time mechanism, first adopted by Patek in 1937. The 5131/1P-001 houses calibre 240 HU, a self-winding movement with a micro-rotor in 22-carat gold, delivering a 48-hour power reserve within a wafer-thin 3.88mm profile. The 40mm platinum case frames the watch's most celebrated feature: a cloisonné enamel dial hand-crafted by independent ateliers to Patek Philippe's exacting specifications. The dial depicts a coloured world map with all 24 time zones legible simultaneously via a rotating city ring and a 24-hour day/night disc — an arrangement that is both functionally elegant and visually arresting.

The cloisonné enamel process involves laying fine metal wires to create compartments, filling each cell with powdered glass, and firing the piece multiple times at high temperatures — a technique largely unchanged since the medieval period. Each dial takes skilled artisans several weeks to complete, and no two are precisely identical. That craftsmanship, combined with the scarcity of platinum production runs, makes the 5131/1P-001 one of the most coveted references in the current Patek catalogue among serious collectors.

Prince Abdul Mateen has developed a public profile well beyond royal circles — his social media presence, athletic pursuits, and attendance at international events have made him one of Southeast Asia's more visible young royals. A watch of this calibre fits naturally within that context: it is understated enough for a man of taste, yet unmistakable to anyone who knows Patek Philippe's catalogue.

At an official retail price of approximately $150,000, the 5131/1P-001 is already positioned at the top end of the Patek complications range. On the grey market, demand consistently outpaces supply, with examples trading at meaningful premiums above list — a reflection of both the watch's rarity and the enduring strength of the Patek Philippe world time reference across global collector markets.