Pilot Fabio Quartararo spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Fabio Quartararo, the French MotoGP rider who claimed the 2021 world championship title at just 22 years old, was photographed wearing a Patek Philippe Aquanaut Travel Time 5164A in stainless steel to mark his 23rd birthday. The sighting is notable not simply because of the brand, but because of the specific reference — a watch that collectors actively hunt and rarely find at retail.

The Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5164A sits at the more complex end of the Aquanaut family. Powered by Caliber 324 S C FUS, a self-winding mechanical movement beating at 28,800 vph with a 45-hour power reserve, the watch delivers a genuine dual time zone complication. Two pusher-controlled local hour hands advance and retract independently, while twin apertures at 6 o'clock display day/night indication for both home and local time simultaneously. The 40.8mm steel case, paired with a black embossed "Tropical" dial and matching composite strap, gives the piece its instantly recognizable Aquanaut character.

The 5164A carries significant weight in collector circles precisely because it combines Patek Philippe's double-pusher travel time mechanism — a system the manufacture has refined across decades — with the sporty Aquanaut aesthetic, all in stainless steel. Patek allocates steel references conservatively, and the 5164A is no exception. Authorized dealer waitlists are long, and grey-market premiums reflect the reality of suppressed supply against sustained demand.

For Quartararo, the choice is contextually sharp. A MotoGP calendar spans continents from Qatar to Argentina, Japan to the United States, making a reliable dual time zone complication genuinely functional rather than decorative. The rider, known for a focused and methodical approach both on and off the bike, lands a watch that rewards technical curiosity as much as it does visual impact.

At an official retail of $39,400, the Patek Philippe Aquanaut 5164A is already a serious acquisition. On the secondary market, examples in steel regularly transact above $130,000 — a premium that shows no sign of compressing. For a 23-year-old world champion making a first significant watch statement, the 5164A is a considered, lasting choice.