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Footballer Karim Benzema spotted wearing Patek Philippe

When Real Madrid crashed out of the Champions League semi-finals on aggregate against Juventus, the cameras didn't just catch the defeat on the pitch — they caught Karim Benzema wearing one of the most technically ambitious sports watches ever produced, the Patek Philippe Nautilus Chronograph in rose gold, reference 5980R-001.

Introduced in 2006 to mark the Nautilus's 30th anniversary, the 5980R represents a genuine engineering milestone. Building a flyback chronograph movement into the slim, horizontally integrated architecture of the Nautilus bracelet demanded a purpose-built calibre. Patek responded with the CH 28-520 C — a lateral clutch, column-wheel flyback movement with a 45-55 hour power reserve, running at 28,800 vph. The movement sits inside a 40.5mm rose gold case, water-resistant to 120 metres, retaining the iconic Gérald Genta-designed porthole lugs and horizontally embossed dial. On the 5980R-001, that dial presents in a warm chocolate brown, a colour that pairs with rose gold in a way the steel references simply cannot replicate.

Collector interest in the 5980 family has been intense since inception. The reference sits at a crossroads between the hyper-desirable Nautilus line and Patek's prestigious in-house chronograph heritage — a combination that almost never comes up at retail. Rose gold examples are considerably rarer than steel 5980/1A variants, and the 5980R has earned a reputation as a serious collector's piece rather than a pure lifestyle acquisition. It was discontinued and succeeded by the 5990 travel time chronograph, which only added to the 5980's retrospective appeal.

Benzema has long demonstrated a preference for heavyweight horological choices, and the 5980R-001 is consistent with a collector who understands the difference between wearing a name and wearing a movement. The rose gold and chocolate dial combination reads quietly luxurious — understated for its price point, which matters in a locker-room culture where restraint can itself be a statement.

At retail the 5980R-001 carried a UK RRP of approximately £43,230, translating to roughly $55,000 USD at prevailing rates. On the secondary market, rose gold examples regularly trade significantly above list, with clean specimens in full set commanding $80,000 to $95,000 USD depending on condition and provenance — a premium that reflects both Nautilus scarcity and the enduring collector premium on discontinued Patek references.