Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Sander Berge spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Sander Berge, the Norwegian midfielder currently playing for Sheffield United, was recently photographed at a dinner table in Spain wearing what appears to be a Patek Philippe Aquanaut reference 5167A-001 on its signature black tropical-embossed rubber strap. The setting — wine glasses, Spanish flag emoji, a plate of petit fours — contrasted sharply with the near six-figure watch quietly resting on his wrist, visible just beneath the cuff of a Christian Dior Atelier Paris Avenue Montaigne T-shirt.

The Aquanaut 5167A has been in continuous production since 2007 and represents Patek Philippe's most accessible entry point into the integrated-bracelet sports watch category — though 'accessible' is purely relative. The 40mm stainless steel case houses the manufacture Calibre 324 S C, a self-winding movement with a 45-hour power reserve, running at 28,800 vph, and featuring a date complication at 3 o'clock. The black embossed dial — Patek calls the pattern 'Tropical' — delivers excellent legibility through luminous Arabic numerals and baton-style hour markers. The composite strap, with its relief-textured surface, remains one of the more comfortable and distinctive rubber straps in luxury watchmaking.

From a collector standpoint, the 5167A-001 is one of the most discussed references in modern horology. Supply has never met demand: authorised dealers routinely have zero allocation for new buyers, and the piece has become a touchstone for discussions about waitlist culture and grey-market premiums. It is widely considered the steel Aquanaut to own — clean, versatile, and backed by Patek's unimpeachable movement quality.

Berge, born in 1998 and a regular starter for the Norwegian national team, is among a new generation of European footballers with a genuine eye for watchmaking rather than mere logo recognition. Choosing an Aquanaut over a more ostentatious complication or a flashier brand signals a certain collector sensibility — one that values restraint and horological substance over spectacle.

On the grey market, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5167A-001 currently commands between $78,000 and $111,000 depending on condition, box and papers, and market timing — against an official retail price in the region of $30,000. That sustained premium, years into production, underscores just how structurally undersupplied this reference remains.