Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Erling Haaland spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Erling Haaland has made no secret of his passion for fine watches, and his latest sighting adds genuine weight to that reputation. The Norwegian striker — prolific on the pitch and increasingly deliberate off it — was spotted wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus reference 5711/1A-010, the stainless steel model with the brand's signature horizontal-embossed blue dial. In the current collector landscape, few acquisitions carry more symbolic and monetary significance.

The Nautilus 5711/1A-010 houses Patek Philippe's Calibre 324 S C, a 213-part automatic movement with a 45-hour power reserve, running at 28,800 vph. The 40mm stainless steel case — with its distinctive porthole-inspired octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet — traces its lineage directly to Gérald Genta's original 1976 sketch, conceived to prove that a luxury sports watch could command a premium in steel. The 5711 series refined that vision across multiple generations, culminating in a dial execution widely regarded as close to perfect: sunburst blue lacquer with applied gold hour markers and a discreet date window at 3 o'clock.

Patek Philippe discontinued the 5711/1A in January 2021, replacing it with the 5726A Annual Calendar and later pivoting attention toward the new Nautilus 5726A and other references. The discontinuation was deliberate market management, but it had the immediate effect of transforming an already scarce watch into an object of near-mythological status. Authorized dealers had maintained waitlists measured in years; after the announcement, grey-market values tripled within months.

Haaland's affinity for serious horology aligns with a generation of elite footballers who treat watchmaking with the same analytical rigor they apply to performance. At his age, gravitating toward the 5711/1A-010 rather than more ostentatious alternatives signals a collector mindset, not simply conspicuous consumption.

On the market today, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-010 trades at approximately $124,000 in the grey market — nearly four times its original retail of $32,400. For a discontinued reference with no prospect of reissue in original form, that premium shows little sign of collapsing. It remains one of the defining watches of its era.