Watch Paparazzi

Footballer Luka Modric spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Luka Modric, eight-time Champions League winner and 2018 Ballon d'Or recipient, was recently photographed wearing a Patek Philippe Nautilus Annual Calendar Moon Phase in stainless steel — reference 5726/1A — placing him firmly among the ranks of footballer-collectors who go well beyond entry-level luxury watches.

The Nautilus 5726/1A is built around the calibre 324 S QA LU 24H, a self-winding movement measuring 27.50mm in diameter and running at 28,800 vph with a 45-hour power reserve. The annual calendar mechanism — a Patek Philippe signature complication first introduced in 1996 — distinguishes between 30- and 31-day months automatically, needing correction only once a year as February gives way to March. The blue-black gradient dial presents day, date, and month through three apertures at 12 o'clock, while a precision moon phase display and a 24-hour day/night indicator sit at 6 o'clock. The integrated stainless steel bracelet and 40.5mm horizontal case width follow the classic Genta proportions that have defined the Nautilus since 1976.

Within the Nautilus family, the 5726/1A occupies a distinct collector tier. It offers far greater horological substance than the time-only 5711/1A, yet avoids the extreme complexity — and price — of the perpetual calendar references. That sweet spot, combined with Patek Philippe's decision to discontinue the steel 5711/1A in 2021, has redirected collector attention toward the 5726, pushing grey-market premiums to levels few would have predicted a decade ago.

Modric, now in the later stage of an extraordinary career at Real Madrid, has shown consistent taste for high-end Swiss horology. Choosing the 5726/1A rather than a flashier bejewelled or rose-gold variant says something: this is a watch selected for what it does as much as for what it costs.

On the secondary market, the Nautilus 5726/1A commands a substantial premium over its already considerable retail price, reflecting both the global scarcity of allocation at authorised dealers and the sustained prestige of the Nautilus name. For collectors tracking celebrity wrists, Modric's sighting is further confirmation that the 5726/1A remains one of the most intelligent buys in contemporary watchmaking.