Watch Paparazzi

Politician Thaksin Shinawatra spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand who has remained one of Southeast Asia's most closely watched political figures, was recently spotted wearing a watch that commands as much attention as the man himself: the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300G in white gold.

The Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300G represents the apex of Patek Philippe's complications catalogue. First unveiled in 2014 to mark the manufacture's 175th anniversary, the watch houses Calibre GS AL 36-750 QIS FUS IRM — a hand-wound movement comprising 1,366 components and delivering 20 distinct complications. Among them: a grande and petite sonnerie, minute repeater, instantaneous perpetual calendar, second time zone, and a date repeater that chimes the date on demand — a complication extremely rare on any wristwatch. The reversible 47.4mm white gold case presents two fully functional dials, one displaying the time and calendar on a grand feu enamel face, the other revealing a sapphire exhibition of the movement on the reverse side.

From a collector's standpoint, the 6300G occupies a category with almost no peers. Patek Philippe produces the Grandmaster Chime in vanishingly small numbers — officially, production figures are never disclosed, but the consensus among serious collectors places annual output in the single digits. The reference has appeared at Only Watch charity auctions in unique configurations, with a one-of-a-kind black-cased version selling for CHF 31 million in 2019, the highest price ever achieved for a wristwatch at auction. The standard 6300G in white gold retains a list price of approximately £1.7 million in the UK, translating to well over $2 million USD at current exchange rates.

Thaksin Shinawatra, who served as Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006 before being ousted in a military coup, has remained a polarising and influential figure in Thai politics. Known for his considerable personal wealth accumulated through telecommunications, his choice of the Grandmaster Chime is consistent with a profile that has always mixed political ambition with conspicuous success.

On the grey market, verified examples of the Patek Philippe Grandmaster Chime Ref. 6300G rarely surface — and when they do, premiums over list price are substantial. For collectors tracking the intersection of extreme horology and public life, this sighting is a reminder that the 6300G, despite its rarity, does get worn.