Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Samuel Eto'o spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Samuel Eto'o, one of Africa's greatest footballers and a man whose trophy cabinet includes two UEFA Champions League titles and four African Player of the Year awards, was recently photographed in Qatar wearing what may be the single most ambitious wristwatch in contemporary horology: the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300G in white gold.

Introduced in 2014 to mark Patek Philippe's 175th anniversary, the Grandmaster Chime was conceived as the definitive expression of the Geneva manufacture's craft. The Ref. 6300G packs 20 complications into a 47.7mm white gold case — among them a grand sonnerie, a small sonnerie, a minute repeater, an alarm, a perpetual calendar, and a second time zone with a day/night indicator. The movement, caliber GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM, comprises 1,366 components and required roughly six years of development. Crucially, the case is reversible: one side displays a grand feu cloisonné enamel dial, the other an elaboré guilloché finish, giving the owner two distinct aesthetic personalities in a single watch.

From a collector standpoint, the Grandmaster Chime occupies a category of its own. It consistently attracts serious buyers who regard it not merely as a timepiece but as a portable monument to watchmaking. The reference surfaced dramatically at auction in 2019 when a unique Ref. 6300A in stainless steel — produced exclusively for the Only Watch charity auction — sold for CHF 31 million, setting a world record for any wristwatch ever sold. That result permanently cemented the model's legendary status.

Eto'o's appearance in Qatar wearing the 6300G is consistent with his profile as a high-profile football administrator and global ambassador. As president of the Fédération Camerounaise de Football since 2021, he operates at a level where such watches serve as a credible signal of standing rather than mere conspicuous consumption.

The Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300G carries a UK list price in the region of £1.7 million. On the secondary market, white gold examples trade at significant premiums over retail given their extreme scarcity, with grey-market estimates regularly exceeding £2 million depending on provenance and condition.