Singer Ed Sheeran spotted wearing a Patek Philippe

Ed Sheeran may be best known for stadium anthems, but on his wrist sits one of the most coveted discontinued Patek Philippe references of the modern era — the Perpetual Calendar Chronograph ref. 5970P in platinum. The sighting places Sheeran firmly among a small group of collectors who pursue not just prestigious names, but genuinely scarce, technically significant watches.

The Patek Philippe 5970 was produced from 2004 to 2010 as the direct successor to the legendary ref. 3970, itself a cornerstone of Patek's complicated watch legacy. Powering the 5970 is the calibre CH 27-70 Q, a manually wound movement built around the legendary Lémania-derived base ébauche that Patek has refined over decades. The movement integrates a horizontal-clutch chronograph mechanism with a perpetual calendar that automatically accounts for months of varying lengths and leap years through 2100 — requiring no manual correction until then. The platinum variant, the 5970P, measures 40mm and featured a slate-grey or anthracite dial that emphasised the cool tone of the case metal, giving it a distinctly formal yet restrained presence.

Among collectors, the 5970P occupies a particularly elevated position. Platinum Patek complications are produced in far smaller numbers than their gold counterparts, and the 5970's relatively brief production window means certified pre-owned examples are genuinely difficult to source. The reference consistently appears at major auction houses — Sotheby's, Christie's, Phillips — where condition and provenance drive results well into six figures. It sits in the conversation alongside the 5004 and 5002 as a reference serious collectors actively pursue rather than stumble upon.

Sheeran has previously been photographed with other significant timepieces, suggesting his watch interest goes beyond passive luxury consumption. Choosing a manually wound, perpetually calendar-equipped platinum Patek over something more visible or fashionable speaks to a degree of horological intentionality that is relatively uncommon even among celebrity collectors.

The Patek Philippe 5970P carried a UK list price of approximately £132,000 during its production years. On the current grey market, demand consistently pushes authenticated examples significantly beyond that figure, with well-documented specimens trading at multiples of the original retail price — a testament to the reference's enduring collector resonance.