Watch Paparazzi

Entrepreneur Alan Sugar spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Lord Alan Sugar was photographed on wrist wearing the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-011 — the stainless steel variant featuring a crisp white dial — as the BBC's The Apprentice returned to screens for another series. It is a sighting worth examining closely, because the watch on Sugar's wrist is no ordinary luxury piece.

The Nautilus 5711/1A-011 is powered by Patek Philippe's Calibre 324 S C, a self-winding movement beating at 28,800 vph with a minimum 45-hour power reserve. The case measures a refined 40mm in stainless steel, water-resistant to 120 metres, and sits on the brand's signature horizontally embossed bracelet — all design DNA drawn directly from Gerald Genta's original 1976 blueprint. The white sunburst dial, with its applied hour markers and date window at 3 o'clock, is among the cleanest executions in the entire 5711 lineage, offering a cooler, more formal alternative to the classic blue.

The 5711/1A-011 carries enormous collector significance. Patek Philippe officially retired the entire 5711 reference in January 2021, a decision that immediately transformed existing examples into instant collectibles. During production, the watch carried a UK list price of approximately £23,440 — accessible on paper, yet virtually impossible to acquire at retail without years on a waiting list. That manufactured scarcity, combined with Genta's timeless design and Patek's manufacture pedigree, has made the 5711 the defining grail watch of its generation.

Lord Sugar, founder of Amstrad and a figure whose commercial acumen has made him one of Britain's most recognisable business personalities, has long been associated with the trappings of serious wealth worn without ostentation. The Nautilus 5711 fits that profile precisely — understated in design, yet unmistakable to anyone who knows watches.

On the secondary market, the 5711/1A-011 with white dial commands a significant premium over its blue-dialed sibling, with authenticated examples regularly trading between $80,000 and $120,000 depending on condition and provenance. As The Apprentice series unfolds, watch enthusiasts will be monitoring Sugar's wrist for further sightings — the 5711 may not be his only notable piece.