Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Virgil Van Dijk spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Virgil van Dijk was photographed wearing a Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time in stainless steel — reference 5164A — during a sighting that coincided with one of the most celebrated seasons of his career. The 2018–19 campaign saw the Dutch centre-back shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or and claim the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, so it is perhaps fitting that his wrist told the time in two time zones simultaneously.

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164A is a 40.8 mm steel case housing the manufacture Calibre 324 S C FUS — a self-winding movement beating at 28,800 vph with a 45-hour power reserve. The standout complication is the intuitive dual time-zone display: two Arabic-numeral hour hands, each controlled by a dedicated push-piece at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock respectively, allowing the traveller to jump the local time forward or backward in one-hour increments without disturbing the running seconds. A day/night indicator at 6 o'clock disambiguates AM and PM for both zones. The signature Aquanaut embossed rubber strap and matching dial texture, introduced by Patek when the line launched in 1997, give the ref. 5164A its sporty identity within an otherwise formally inclined brand.

Among collectors, the 5164A occupies a particularly covetable position. Steel Patek Philippe sports references consistently command premiums on the secondary market, and the Travel Time complication adds mechanical substance beyond the entry-level Aquanaut 5167A. It is a watch that satisfies both the complications collector and the sport-watch enthusiast, which keeps demand persistently ahead of supply at authorised dealers.

Van Dijk's choice reflects a pattern increasingly visible among elite European footballers who treat serious horology as a considered investment rather than pure status signalling. A dual-time complication suits a footballer whose calendar spans Champions League away fixtures, international windows, and commercial travel across multiple continents.

At UK list price the 5164A was quoted at approximately £26,050 at the time of the sighting. On the grey market, steel Aquanaut Travel Time references have historically traded at meaningful premiums above retail — demand from both watch enthusiasts and a new generation of sport-savvy collectors ensures the 5164A remains one of the more liquid steel Pateks in circulation.