Tennis player Gaël Monfils spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Gaël Monfils, the French tennis star and serial watch enthusiast, was recently spotted wearing a Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 5270G — the white gold iteration with an opalescent argenté dial and tachymeter scale — a combination that places it firmly within the 2013-onward production window for this specific configuration.

The 5270 family represented a landmark moment for Patek Philippe when it launched in 2011: the first perpetual calendar chronograph built entirely around an in-house movement, the manually wound caliber CH 29-535 PS Q. That movement is a genuine horological achievement, featuring a column wheel, a horizontal clutch for smooth chronograph engagement, and a flyback function, all integrated with a perpetual calendar displaying date, day, month, moon phase, and four-digit year. The case measures 41 mm in white gold, with a sapphire case back revealing the movement's finishing — beveled bridges, Côtes de Genève, and hand-applied gold chatons that are characteristic of Patek's highest production tier.

The ref. 5270G holds particular significance for collectors because it has since been discontinued across its dial variants, a decision that has sharpened secondary-market appetite considerably. The opalescent silvered dial with tachymeter is among the more restrained configurations — where other 5270 variants leaned into colored or grand feu enamel dials — making it a versatile piece that wears as a serious horological object without overt showmanship. For perpetual calendar chronograph purists, the 5270 is the reference against which competitors are measured.

Monfils is no casual watch wearer. The world No. 9 has demonstrated consistent interest in high-complication timepieces across brands, and the 5270G fits a pattern of choosing watches with genuine mechanical substance. Wearing a manually wound perpetual calendar chronograph — a watch that demands daily attention and thoughtful setting — signals familiarity with the object beyond its status.

On the market, the Patek Philippe 5270G carried a retail price in the region of $90,000 before discontinuation. Grey-market values have since climbed meaningfully, with recent auction and dealer transactions placing examples comfortably above retail, reflecting both the complication's prestige and the growing scarcity of unworn or single-owner references.