Actor Spencer Matthews spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Spencer Matthews, best known as a fixture of Channel 4's Made in Chelsea before pivoting to entrepreneurship with his CleanCo spirits brand, was recently spotted wearing one of Patek Philippe's most technically ambitious sports watches — the Nautilus Chronograph in rose gold, reference 5980R-001. It is a choice that signals considerably more than casual brand recognition.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5980R-001 sits at the apex of the Nautilus collection. Introduced in 2006 to celebrate three decades of the Gerald Genta-designed icon, the 5980 was the first Nautilus to house a chronograph complication. The case measures 40.5mm in 18k rose gold and retains the signature horizontally embossed dial — here rendered in a warm salmon hue with applied rose gold indices. The bracelet integrates seamlessly into the case in the manner Genta intended in 1976, the ergonomic architecture unchanged in philosophy if not in execution.

The movement inside is Patek Philippe Calibre CH 28-520 C, a column-wheel flyback chronograph with a lateral clutch, oscillating at 28,800 vph with a 45-to-55 hour power reserve. The flyback function allows the chronograph to be reset and restarted in a single push of the lower pusher — a complication traditionally associated with aviation timing. Finishing is to Patek's customary standard: beveled bridges, Geneva Seal-compliant surfaces, and Gyromax balance wheel.

Among collectors, the 5980R occupies a firm position as one of the most desirable rose gold sports references in the modern Patek canon. Unlike the 5980/1A in steel — which has become almost mythologically difficult to acquire at retail — the rose gold variant attracts buyers who prioritize complication and precious metal over the grey-market frenzy surrounding stainless steel Nautiluses. It is frequently cited alongside the 5726A Annual Calendar as a benchmark for what a modern luxury sports watch can achieve technically.

For Matthews, the 5980R-001 reads as a considered acquisition rather than an impulse flex. With a UK RRP of £43,230 and grey-market valuations consistently above retail given constrained supply, this is a watch that rewards patience to obtain and knowledge to appreciate fully.