Footballer Son Heung-min spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Son Heung-min, one of the most recognisable footballers on the planet and a consistent presence on luxury watch radar, was recently spotted wearing a Patek Philippe Aquanaut reference 5168G — the khaki green dial variant in 18K white gold. For a player who has quietly built a reputation as a serious watch collector, this sighting is entirely on-brand.

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5168G sits at the top of the standard Aquanaut family. Its 42.2mm white gold case houses the calibre 324 S C, an automatic movement with a 45-hour power reserve, running at 28,800 vph. The dial is executed in khaki green — a composite material embossed with Patek's signature tropical motif — matched to a gradient olive-toned rubber strap. White gold gives the 5168G a cooler, more restrained aesthetic than its yellow or rose gold siblings, letting the dial colour do the talking. Water resistance is rated to 120 metres, credible for a luxury sports watch of this class.

The Aquanaut line launched in 1997 as a more accessible, contemporary counterpart to the Nautilus, but the 5168G has shed any perception of being a second-tier choice. Among collectors, the white gold and khaki green combination is considered one of the most balanced executions in the range — understated enough for daily wear, distinctive enough to hold a room. It was discontinued and reintroduced across various iterations, which keeps demand consistently elevated relative to supply.

Son Heung-min has long been spotted in high-end timepieces, and the choice of a 5168G reflects genuine taste rather than simply spending power. The Aquanaut in this configuration is not the flashiest option available to a Premier League star — it is, if anything, the considered one.

At UK list price of approximately £30,390, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5168G is already a significant investment. On the grey market, however, the reference consistently trades at a substantial premium, with current secondary market values running well above retail — a reflection of both Patek's controlled distribution and sustained collector demand for this specific dial and case material combination.