Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Marco Bizzarri spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Marco Bizzarri, the entrepreneur and former CEO of Gucci who engineered one of the most celebrated luxury brand turnarounds of the past decade, was recently spotted wearing a stainless steel Patek Philippe Nautilus Moon Phase, reference 5712/1A — a watch that sits at an interesting intersection of sportswear DNA and grand complication watchmaking.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A is built around the ultra-thin caliber 240 PS IRM C LU, a manually decorated movement measuring just 3.88mm in height. That movement delivers a moon phase display, a linear power reserve indicator along the dial's upper register, and a date window — all housed within Gerald Genta's iconic 40mm horizontally embossed dial and integrated steel bracelet, first conceived for Patek in 1976. The case and bracelet are rendered entirely in 316L stainless steel, with alternating polished and brushed surfaces that remain unmistakably Nautilus from any angle.

Among collectors, the 5712/1A occupies a specific and respected tier. It is not the entry-level 5711 that sparked waiting-list hysteria, nor is it a high-complication piece commanding eight figures. Instead it represents what serious enthusiasts call a 'functional complication' reference — a watch you actually read daily. The moon phase on caliber 240 requires correction only once every 122 years, a specification that demonstrates Patek Philippe's engineering commitment rather than mere decorative intent. Production volumes have always been deliberately constrained, which has kept secondary market premiums meaningful without the speculative frenzy attached to the 5711.

Bizzarri's choice is consistent with his profile. During his tenure at Gucci from 2015 to 2023, he presided over a creative and commercial renaissance in close partnership with Alessandro Michele, growing the brand's revenues from roughly €3.5 billion to over €10 billion. A man who understands the quiet signals that luxury objects communicate would gravitate naturally toward a reference that rewards those who look closely rather than one that broadcasts status loudly.

On the grey market, the Nautilus 5712/1A commands a meaningful premium over its UK list price of approximately £34,610. Demand for steel Nautilus references across all complications has remained robust through broader watch market corrections, making the 5712/1A one of the more resilient references in the Patek Philippe sports watch family.