Watch Paparazzi

Television presenter Trevor Noah spotted wearing Patek Philippe

Trevor Noah, the South African-born comedian and former host of The Daily Show, was recently spotted wearing one of Patek Philippe's most technically ambitious sports watches: the Nautilus Perpetual Calendar reference 5740G in 18kt white gold. The sighting places Noah firmly in the company of seasoned watch collectors, as the 5740G is anything but an impulse purchase — it demands both knowledge and access.

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5740G was introduced in 2018 as a landmark complication within the Nautilus family. Its defining achievement is the integration of a full perpetual calendar — displaying date, day, month, leap year, and moon phase — into a case measuring just 40mm wide and 8.42mm thick. This was made possible by calibre 240 Q, an ultra-thin automatic movement built around a 22kt gold peripheral micro-rotor, eliminating the bulk of a conventional central rotor. The movement delivers a 48-hour power reserve and requires no manual correction until the year 2100, accounting for the Gregorian calendar's leap year exceptions.

From a collector's standpoint, the 5740G occupies rarefied territory. Patek Philippe discontinued the reference in 2021, replacing it with the redesigned 5740/1G featuring an updated dial aesthetic. The original 5740G's production run was deliberately limited, and securing one at retail required exceptional client relationships with authorised dealers — a process that could take years. The white gold variant adds a further layer of exclusivity over the stainless steel 5726A, which itself commands significant premiums on the secondary market.

Noah's taste in watches has skewed consistently toward complicated, understated pieces — a sensibility entirely consistent with the 5740G's character. The watch avoids ostentation while delivering genuine mechanical substance, a combination that resonates with collectors who prioritise craft over visibility.

On the grey market, the Patek Philippe Nautilus Perpetual Calendar 5740G now regularly trades well above its original retail price, reflecting both the discontinuation and sustained global demand for Nautilus complications. The UK list price was £91,150 before its retirement from the catalogue, making this one of the most expensive standard-production Nautilus references ever offered.