Watch Paparazzi

Cricketer KL Rahul spotted wearing Patek Philippe

KL Rahul, one of Indian cricket's most technically refined batsmen and a known watch enthusiast, was recently spotted wearing the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A — a stainless steel sports watch that quietly does far more than its casual silhouette suggests. The sighting reinforces Rahul's reputation as one of the subcontinent's sharper dressers with genuine taste in serious horology.

The Nautilus 5712/1A is built around the ultra-thin Calibre 240 PS IRM C LU, an automatic movement measuring a remarkable 3.88mm in height. That slimness is no small achievement given the complication suite it carries: hours, minutes, a power reserve indicator, date, and a moon phase display accurate to one day's deviation every 122 years. The 40.5mm stainless steel case retains the signature horizontally embossed dial, integrated bracelet, and octagonal bezel with rounded lugs — all hallmarks of Gerald Genta's original 1976 Nautilus design. The 5712 reference itself was introduced in 2006 and represents the fullest expression of Nautilus functionality short of the grand complication variants.

Patek Philippe discontinued the 5712/1A in 2021, a move that instantly crystallised its collector status. Unlike many Nautilus references that were perpetually waitlisted, the 5712 was considered something of a sleeper — overshadowed by the cleaner 5711 — until its discontinuation triggered a reappraisal. The moon phase sub-dial at six o'clock, combined with the power reserve at ten, gives the dial a purposeful asymmetry that collectors now recognise as one of Patek's most balanced integrated-complication layouts.

For KL Rahul, a cricketer who has spoken openly about his interest in watches, the 5712/1A is a considered choice rather than a showy one. It signals familiarity with Patek's catalogue beyond the obvious entry points, and it wears with the low-profile confidence of someone who doesn't need to announce what's on the wrist.

On the secondary market, the Patek Philippe Nautilus 5712/1A commands a significant premium over its last retail list price of approximately £31,430 in the UK. Grey-market values have stabilised post-2022 but remain elevated, with clean examples in full set regularly changing hands between $70,000 and $85,000 USD — a testament to the enduring demand for discontinued steel Nautilus references with meaningful complications.